


The Marvelous Misadventures of Chihiro Fujisaki!

by Rigze



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2018-12-07 01:06:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 112,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11612748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rigze/pseuds/Rigze
Summary: Join young Chihiro Fujisaki as he stumbles his way through his high school life at Hope's Peak! Will he manage to find his place in this bastion of a school, or will it swallow him whole? Non-despair AU.





	1. Why?

As I look up at the fortress-like school known as Hope's Peak Academy, I can only think one thing.

Why am I here again?

Why is it that I decided to move away from my home town and my father to come to the city? Why is it that I decided to come to this school, where only the best of the best are invited to attend?

Because I wanted to change. I think.

I was invited here because of my skills in programming. I'm not even certain about how they found out about me… though I have a sneaking suspicion that one of the companies that contracted me may have something to do with it.

I received the invitation in the mail one day, but it was only by chance that I ended up seeing it. Most of the mail that comes by the house is junk, because my dad and I usually communicate with people over the computer or with other electronic devices. Just as I was about to toss the pile of junk into the trash, a gold trimmed envelope fell out of my hands. Seeing it was addressed to me, I opened it and quickly read it, almost fainting when I saw the contents.

When I had gone to show my father, he said I should probably turn them down.

"While it _is_ an amazing school…" He told me. "I can't afford to move away from here right now, my job needs me. You'd be on your own if you chose to go there."

I almost listened to him too. I had gone and sat in my room for a couple of hours, just re-reading the invitation over and over, memorizing every line.

_Mister Chihiro Fujisaki,_

_On behalf of everyone here at Hope's Peak Academy, I'd like to congratulate you on being offered a full scholarship to our school!_

_We hope you'll join our prestigious school under the well-deserved title…_

_Super High School Level Programmer_

_It would be a great honor if you'd join our establishment! I wait for your response with great eagerness, and hope that you'll decide to take advantage of this opportunity!_

_Sincerely,_

_Headmaster Kirigiri_

The invitation is hand-written in a very neat calligraphy, and I couldn't help but feel like the headmaster actually wrote this invitation himself.

And that's what made me reconsider. Something handwritten, personalized just for me, made me think that this place _wouldn't_ be like the other schools I've attended. Maybe I'd fit in a little more. Once this thought occurred to me, I rushed into my father's room and told him I was going.

And that was that.

Standing here now, I can already tell that this school is much different than all of the others. It's actually very intimidating, if I'm being completely honest. I grab my skirt out of nervousness and wring it in my hands. I had almost considered actually dressing like a boy… but my insecurities ended up getting the better of me. Again.

I sigh and shake my head. _"Time to go in, I guess…"_ When I walk into the school, the halls are completely barren. Not surprising really, because the semester doesn't officially begin for another couple of days. I walk over to the office window where an older lady with kind eyes is sitting.

"U-uhm, excuse me miss?" I say, getting her attention. "Would you mind telling me where the headmaster's office is…?"

"Of course." She says, smiling. "Jin's office is up on the fourth floor. Would you like me to show you the way?"

"No thank you miss. I-I think I'll be able to find it on my own." I offer her a polite smile. "Have a nice day!"

"Oh, you too dear." She smiles in return. I turn and head for the staircase, but not before stealing a quick look at the school directory.

As I make my way up the stairs, I can't help but wonder what kind of person the headmaster is. He must be a very strong person to be able to run a school as incredible as this… From what I had learned in my research about the school, it's been equipped with the best facilities in the country, outclassing even some of the best colleges. The dorms aren't anything to sneeze at either; fresh food is supplied daily to the school, and it has some of the best recreational facilities anyone could possibly ask for.

At first I had only thought them to be bragging, but the fact of the matter is that it's _true_ … a degree from here will set you up for life.

I clear the last flight of stairs and make my way down the long hallway to the headmaster's office. As I stand in front of the large doors, I take a deep breath and steel my will to knock on the door. Within a couple of seconds, I hear a muffled 'come in' through the doors, and I slowly push them open and peek in.

"Excuse me… I was supposed to meet with the headmaster?" I say meekly. The man looks up from his work and smiles at me.

"Ah, you must be Chihiro! I've been expecting you, please come in." I quickly make my way in and close the door shut behind me, before walking and standing in front of his desk.

"I-it's very nice to meet you … My name is Chihiro Fujisaki." I say giving him a nervous smile. He only smiles wider at my words.

"No need to be so nervous, young man. I'm not nearly as scary as I look. Would you mind taking a seat?" He motions to the two plush looking chairs in front of his desk. I hurriedly comply.

"Right, I suppose a proper introduction on my end is necessary, huh? My name is Jin Kirigiri, the headmaster of this school. It's a pleasure to meet you." Looking at the man, he appears to be an attractive man in his mid-thirties. He has a tall build, with short black hair and striking violet eyes. "You can call me Jin, or whatever suits your fancy, as long as it's not inappropriate." He writes a few things down and then turns back to me.

"Getting right down to business, I'm glad you've decided to take me up on my offer to join the school." He says, resting his head on his fist. "We only accept a select few students every year, so I'm glad to see that class number seventy-eight will have another friend in their midst."

"W-well," I start with a stutter. "I'm really happy to have been invited… the school does seem very nice so far. I came here with the hope that it'll be very different than the ones I've gone to previously."

He only smiles sadly at me. "I can only hope that as well. Your father has already filled me in about your previous experiences in school beforehand… and I must say that I'm truly sorry for what you've gone through."

"It's fine, really." I say, looking at him determined. "No matter what, I'm determined to make things different this time. I'm sure it'll be great!"

He gives me a firm nod at this, and proceeds to rummage around his desk, before pulling out a key and a flat screen device. He hands both to me. "What I have here for you is your room key and your e-Handbook. That device is programmed with a map of the school, a copy of the school's regulations, and a handy tool that you can turn your homework in on. It can also access the internet, but I'd only recommend using that if you really had to. It's a little slow." He finishes with a laugh.

I eye the device with fascination as I examine it. It's clear with a blue tint, but I can tell right off the bat that it's a very complex piece of equipment. The programmer in me immediately starts running through possible coding setups, before I'm pulled out of my thoughts by his sharp voice.

"I'm going to warn you right now though; do not start tampering with the programming in that. It functions as your school ID as well, so you'd be in deep trouble if you end up busting into its software. Got it?" I figure he's only warning me as a precaution, but I give him a meek nod in response anyway. "Good. Another warning though, it is very sensitive to heat. Please be mindful of where you leave it."

He stretches his arms before he lets out a sigh. "I want to tell you right now, if anything is bothering you at all, you're free to come and speak with me about it at any time. If it's something I can help you with, I'll be sure to do so." He flashes me a small smile, and I smile back in return.

"I promise that I will, though I hope that it won't be necessary for anything too important." I let out a sigh and stay silent a moment, before something occurs to me. "When is everyone else due to arrive?" I ask, curious.

"Ah well, that's a bit of a tricky question." He says, putting his hand to his chin. "Some people arrive before school officially starts, like yourself, and some show up on the designated moving day… but most students here don't actually come here until the day classes are supposed to start."

I widen my eyes in response. "A-are you serious? Isn't this school full of elites though?"

"Oh yes, the very best in the country!" He says, cheerfully. "As it turns out though, most of them are extremely eccentric. Usually the first day of classes turns out to be a wash! That's why we have it set for a Friday, so it isn't too much of a loss."

He then props his feet up on the desk, still smiling at my bewildered expression. "Despite the formal introduction earlier, this school is very… unorthodox. While we pride ourselves in giving the best education possible to our students, the way we operate is entirely different from what most people would expect!"

I can't believe what I'm hearing. I thought this school was supposed to be extremely strict! And here's the headmaster, casually lazing around his desk, telling me it's not!? As if he's reading my thoughts, he suddenly speaks up again.

"That does not mean, however, that I'll tolerate any misconduct from any of my students." He says airily. "As long as you follow the regulations as described, you're free to do anything else… breaking the rules will result in severe punishment, ranging from detention to expulsion, depending on the offense. Of course, I don't really think you'll have any issues with that." He finishes, kicking his feet off of his desk and standing.

"Your things are already in your room, waiting to be unpacked." He says, smiling down at me. "Your class got lucky this year, since you've been assigned the first floor of the dorms. It'll be really convenient living right next to all of the major facilities." He extends his hand to me. "I hope that your school life here will be fulfilling, Chihiro."

I give him a small smile, stand, and take his hand in my own, giving it a shake. "Thank you! I can't wait for my classes to begin… thank you so much for this opportunity." I release his hand. "I suppose I'll go get settled in then, if you'll excuse me." He nods and waves me off, telling me that the kitchen is open if I want to make anything.

As I exit his office, I let out a sigh. That was intense! He went from intimidating to friendly so quickly, it was amazing… I pull the e-Handbook out of my skirt pocket and start it up. The screen flashes my name before opening up to a set of menus that are able to be selected. As I make my way down the stairs, I decide to go over the school regulations. In total, there are eleven:

**1\. When attending classes, please be sure to wear the proper attire. It is preferred that you wear your school uniform. Do not show up to class wearing pajamas, swimsuits, nothing, only underwear, only socks, wrestling onsies, or anything else distracting.**

**2\. Do not destroy school property without proper reason.**

**3\. Do not assault other students or faculty without proper reason.**

**4\. Do not sleep in class without proper reason.**

**5\. Don't get caught cheating. What we don't know won't hurt us, but what we do will hurt you.  
**

**6\. There is no alcohol or drugs permitted on campus, period. If you come back to the campus drunk, try not to break anything and return to your room. Police will be called if you're found to be on drugs.**

**7\. Do not bring large or wild animals to class.**

**8\. Do not bring guns to class. If you're going to practice shooting, please leave your guns in the target practice area or leave them in your room to retrieve after class.**

**9\. Do not eat in class, unless given permission to do so by your teacher. You don't have to share if you don't want to, though people would probably appreciate it if you did.**

**10\. No lewd behavior will be tolerated in school. The dorms are free game.**

**11\. More rules will be added as needed.**

As I finish reading the rules, I scan over them again to see that yes, these are _actually_ the rules! I smack my hand to my forehead. Nothing about this is normal...! " _I was expecting things about conduct and respectfulness, but wild animals…? I guess that the eleventh rule has already been used several times, by the looks of it!"_

I finally make it down to the first floor again, and I start to wonder what on earth I've gotten myself into. All of those regulations are way out of left field from the look of them. _"What do they mean, "without proper reason?" What counts as a proper reason to beat up a teacher? And the tenth rule!"_ I feel my face go hot. _"Do they really let people do that kind of thing here...?"_

Shaking my head to dispel those thoughts, I pull up the map and make my way through the first floor. As I enter the large door the map changes from the first floor of the school to what appears to be the dorm area. How cool! Seeing the hallway that's on my map, I decide to close the e-Handbook down, figuring I could find my room without it.

As I walk through the large corridor, I see the dining hall, laundry room, and a… bath house? I walk over to peek in. _"Yeah, that's a bath house alright…"_ I think amazed. They weren't kidding when they said the dorms had fabulous facilities.

Deciding to continue on, I make my way to a dimly lit hallway with rows of doors, which are what I assume to be the rooms. Most of them are blank right now, except for the second to last one on my right. I walk over to it and see that it has my name on it, with a little 8-bit sprite of me just above it. How cute!

I quickly fish the key out of my pocket and unlock the door, flipping on the lights as I enter. The sight that greets me is nothing short of amazing! _"Oh my gosh! This is even bigger than my room back home!"_ I quickly take inventory of the room. There's a large queen size bed against the wall, with a row of drawers next to it, and a standing closet beside those. There is a counter-like area that can be seen from the doorway with a nice table sitting behind that. Plus plenty of room to spare!

I walk farther into the room and see that boxes are piled in the corner of the room, waiting to be unpacked. I then turn to the side and see that there's a bathroom of my very own, which is a huge weight off my shoulders. I don't know what I would have done if I had to use a communal wash room!

Stretching, I decide to go ahead and unpack my things for a lack of anything else to do. I put all of my clothes away in the drawers and closet and make the bed. Once it's done, I step back to admire my work. My bed sheets are dark green in color, and the comforter is a lighter shade of green with leaves embroidered into it. There are two light green plaid throw pillows sitting in front of my actual pillow, with my brown stuffed bunny nestled in-between them. It's a little old and tattered, but I love it anyway.

I finish admiring my work and turn to start the difficult task of trying to set up my computer hardware… but then my stomach growls. My hands fly to my stomach on reflex, and I giggle. _"I suppose I ought to get something to eat before I do that."_ I exit the room and lock the door behind me, before trotting down the hall.

I notice another name plate has gone up, but I don't stop long enough to read the name. _"Another person is here early huh…? I wonder what kind of person they are."_ Mr. Kirigiri had said all of the students are pretty eccentric, so I can't help but be nervous.

" _Well… it doesn't matter too much anyway. It's not like I'm going to run into them right off the bat, so I have some time to steel my nerves."_ Thinking this, I make my way into the dining hall… and of course I spot the other person right away.

He's sitting with his back to me, head resting on the table. I start panicking. _"Ahh! Why, why, why!? I wasn't ready to talk to anyone yet!"_ I wring my skirt in my hands, thinking that I might be able to sneak past them to the kitchen... but that wouldn't help my trying to change.

I decide to go up and introduce myself to this person… albeit a little reluctantly. I walk behind him, and upon closer inspection, he looks like he's only a few inches taller than me. He has light brown hair with a gravity-defying antenna sticking up from his head. I tap his shoulder to try and get his attention.

"U-uhm… excuse me?" No response. I try shaking his shoulder. "H-hey, are you alright?" This seems to get a response from him, as he suddenly jerks to life and sputters a little. I move over to his side and see that he must have fallen asleep… right into a bowl of oatmeal.

That explains the sputtering at least.

"Ah man, did I seriously fall asleep here!?" He asks in disbelief. He stretches his hands behind his head and looks my way, finally noticing me. "Oh hey!" He says, smiling at me through the food. "I didn't know anyone else was actually here yet. What's your name?"

But I can't bring myself to speak. Not because of my shyness this time, oh no. It's because of the simple look on his face. He…he doesn't even seem to notice the oatmeal! My hand flies to my mouth to stifle a laugh, but I already know it's futile. My shoulders start to shake with suppressed laughter, and I can already feel the end approaching.

He looks at me, with what I assume is concern... It's hard to tell through the mess on his face. "Uh… hey, are you okay?" Unfortunately, this only fuels my urge to laugh, and before I know it I've flown into a full blown giggling fit.

"H-hey!" He says indignantly. "What are you laughing about? All I did was ask for your name!"

"I'm-I'm so sorry!" I manage to squeak through my giggles. "I-I don't mean to be rude when I d-don't even know your name but… I can't help it! Y-you have food all over your face!" By this time I've doubled over with laughter. He lifts a finger to his face, scraping off some of the gooey mess. His face goes pink.

My laugher subsides and I stand, quickly handing him some napkins. He takes them, still flushed, and wipes off the mess. He sighs and scratches his head. "Whelp, since I've already ruined all my chances of being cool, I guess I'll just introduce myself. My name's Makoto Naegi, class number seventy-eight." He says, smiling. "Nice to meet ya!"

I smile back at this strange boy. "I'm Chihiro Fujisaki, same class as you. It's nice to meet you Makoto! If you don't mind me asking though…" I say, trailing off. "Why did you fall asleep _here_ of all places?"

He blushes again and looks off to the side. "Well, it's sorta embarrassing but… I was so nervous about coming here that I didn't sleep at all last night!" He gives me a sheepish look, and I can't help but feel like Mr. Kirigiri was exaggerating about the students here. He seems completely normal!

"I wouldn't feel too bad about it, I didn't really sleep much either." I say brushing off of my skirt. "It's a really big transition!"

"It really is!" He says, nodding. "It's completely different from my old school… I'm so lucky that I got invited to go here!"

"Oh, if you don't mind me asking Makoto," I say, tilting my head. "What's your talent? Everyone here's been assigned a title based off of it, so I'm a little curious." I start suddenly. "O-oh, you don't have to answer that if you don't want to though, I don't mean to be nosy."

"Nah, its fine! But… I don't actually have a talent." He says smiling. "When I said I was lucky, I really did mean it! My title is Ultimate Luckster… I only got in because the randomly selected me."

"Really?" I say, eyes wide. "I didn't know they did something like that… you must have been surprised!"

"Oh I was! I almost didn't come because I was afraid to go to a school with so many elite people… but they say a degree from here will set you for life. I couldn't pass that up!" With a sheepish grin, he continues. "What's your title, Chihiro?"

I start playing with the hem of my skirt, looking down. "W-well… It's actually Ultimate Programmer." I glance up to gauge his reaction.

He looks amazed. "That's so cool! You must be really smart, I could never possibly do anything like that!"

"I-its really nothing special!" I say, waving him off. "You'd be really good at something too if you were doing it since you were little!"

"No no, you've gotta be more than really good to get into here for it!" He says, smiling. "You must be the modest type Chihiro." He hits his palm with his fist. "Hey! Wanna go grab something to eat? I'm guessing that's probably what ya came in here for anyway, and my food…" He does a double take between me and the bowl of oatmeal he'd been using as a pillow. "...Well, you know."

"Oh sure, but… are you sure you want to eat with me?" I ask, nervous. He's probably just being polite.

"Of course! Might as well get to know my new friend, right? You seem like a cool person." Part of me wants to doubt his words but… somehow I think they're genuine. That he isn't just asking for courtesy's sake.

"All right… What all do they have in the kitchen?" I ask, as we make our way there. "I can't really cook too well, so hopefully a lot of things with instructions."

Makoto laughs at this. "Don't worry about it. They have tons and _tons_ of food in there! Besides, my mom gave me a crash course in cooking before she let me leave, so we should be good." He winks at me, and I can't help but laugh.

"If you say so, Makoto!"

* * *

Cooking… sorta turned out to be a disaster. It really must have been a crash course, because not five minutes before he got started, the food caught on fire. Thankfully we were able to put it out, but I decided to take over from there and just make some pasta. Thank god for box spaghetti and marinara sauce jars.

"I'm so sorry." He says over our meal. "I guess I should have paid more attention…" He seems absolutely crestfallen.

I laugh, still remembering the exploding hamburger meat. "It's fine Makoto. We still got food, right?"

"Yeah, only cause you pulled it off." He responds with a laugh of his own. "I'm never gonna cook anything serious again! I'll stick to cup noodles and sandwiches, thank you very much."

While we eat, we joke around and ask general questions about each other. Makoto has a pretty normal life: he has a sister, gets average grades, and sorta just goes with the flow from what I've gathered. The one really remarkable thing about him is his optimism. He seems to find a positive in almost everything, which is something I really wish I could do.

"So, Chihiro." He starts. "What was your old school like?"

"Oh… well... I haven't actually gone to a traditional school in a while." I say, looking off to the side. "I was bullied a lot the last several places I attended, so..."

"Awh, that sucks. Why would people bother you? You're so nice!" He pauses a moment, tilting his head to the side in thought. "Well… learning at home wouldn't be all bad I think. You wouldn't need to leave your house for anything!"

I giggle at his thinking. "It definitely lonely at times, but I guess it gave me a lot of time to work on my programs."

"Is that why you decided to come here? So you could make friends?" He asks, tone sobering a bit.

I put my finger to my lips in thought. "Well… that's part of it! But mostly... I did it because I wanted to change myself. I need to get better with people… get some confidence, you know? I'm not that great at talking if you haven't noticed."

"Really? You seemed just fine with me earlier when you were laughing at me." He retorts with a grin. "I didn't think you seemed awkward at all."

I only shake my head. "Well that was one thing, but I nearly had a panic attack when I saw you in here! I wasn't expecting to see anyone so soon; I was going to take these extra days to prepare myself for this..."

"I wouldn't worry about it so much, Chihiro." He says, reaching over and patting my shoulder. "You were fine with me! I'm sure the others won't be so bad either!"

"I hope you're right. The headmaster told me that most of the students are pretty… unique. That didn't help my anxiety much." I finish, yawning.

Makoto checks his watch. "Holy crap! It's already 9:45!" He says, standing. "I gotta take a shower before the water cuts off for the night. I'll see you tomorrow, Chihiro!" He runs out of the dining room.

Smiling in the direction he went, I go to put our plates in the dishwasher, before walking back to my room.

I walk in the door and close it firmly shut behind me, locking it. I take a quick shower, and change into my pjs, before I flop noiselessly onto my bed. I glance over and see that my computers aren't set up yet. "It doesn't really matter though." I mutter with a smile.

Why?

" _Because my worst fear about this place has already been dispelled… Things are already turning out better than I had hoped for! I'm… confident, that I can have a good life here, if I try hard enough!"_

Why?

" _Because I made a friend today."_


	2. Friends

I wake up with a start when my alarm goes off. I quickly smack it and sigh. Today is the designated moving day for the rest of the students… and I'm so not prepared!

Makoto and I had hung out a lot yesterday. I wasn't originally planning on talking to him again because I was afraid I would bug him, but he actually came and knocked on my door. He'd wanted to go explore the school originally, but when he ended up seeing all of my electrical equipment… his reaction was the best!

" _Holy crap Chihiro, is that all yours!?"_ He exclaimed, loudly. _"You… you've got all of the latest game consoles! And that TV...! It's huge! And look at all of those computers! How the heck are you gonna set all of that up alone!?"_

After saying that, he insisted on helping me to set it all up. He obviously wanted to play my video games, but I didn't mind… He was actually pretty good at them! But he always ended up getting flustered whenever I beat him in Mario Kart or Pokémon… After a while I just decided to let him play some of my single-player games, happy just chatting with him.

...The bad part about all of that was that I was planning on practicing how to talk with people for today… and now it's a little too late. Especially since headmaster Kirigiri wanted us to help the people in our class move in!

" _I-I really don't know what I'm gonna do…"_ I think with a sigh. _"I guess I'm just going to have to wing it. I hope I don't choke in front of my new classmates…"_

I quickly shower and dress, making sure that I look halfway decent. First impressions are important after all! I steal a quick glance at the clock and see that it's ten-thirty. People aren't due to arrive until eleven, so I decide to grab a quick breakfast.

When I enter the dining hall, I see Makoto talking with Mr. Kirigiri. He sees me and waves me over. "Hey, good morning Chihiro! Ready for today?" When he notices me, Mr. Kirigiri offers a smile as greeting.

I walk over to them and give them both a small smile. "Good morning to you both as well." I let out a small sigh. "I'm about as ready as I'll ever be, Makoto… I'm so nervous!"

The headmaster pats my head. "I wouldn't worry about it Chihiro. Like I told you before, some of these people are extremely unique. There's no way to tell how they'll react to you until you interact with them, so I would just go for it." He says, giving me a thumbs up. "Besides, they can't all hate you, right?"

…Is that supposed to be reassuring?

"You'll be alright, Chihiro!" Makoto says, sparing an exasperated glance. "I'll be there too, so if things go a little sour, I'll do my best to help ya out!"

I give my new friend a smile as thanks, before a voice breaks through the intercom. "Jin, a student is already here and requests assistance." I recognize the voice as the older lady from the front office.

"We'll be right there, Miss Yoshie." He turns to us as the intercom clicks off. "Alright you two, head to the front. We can get something to eat once we're done helping."

I'm a little bummed that I can't get anything to eat yet… but at the same time, I suddenly feel way too nervous to stomach anything!

Our trip to the gates is a short one. When we arrive, I see a boy standing there, looking slightly distraught. He's tall, with black hair and piercing red eyes, and… let's just say that his eyebrow game is _strong._ He's wearing a crisp white uniform and black boots… is he military, or something?

Makoto is the first to approach him, and I follow close behind. "Uh, hey! Is something wrong?" He asks, tilting his head. "Is some of your stuff missing?"

The boy shakes his head. "No, all of my possessions have arrived safely but…" His glance shifts between me and Makoto. "You two… how long have you been here?"

Makoto scratches his head. "Uhm… a couple of days, why?"

His look turns to one of shock, and he drops to his knees. "How… how could this be!? I was certain that I'd arrive first! How can I, the one deemed the Ultimate Moral Compass, have failed to be the one to set an example for my fellow students!?" He starts bawling on the concrete, curling into a ball. "I'm not fit to be enrolled here! Please, just cart me away already!"

Makoto and I stare at him, stunned. _"I suppose this is what meant by eccentric…?"_

I take a few cautious steps toward the crying boy before kneeling down next to him. I gently tap his shoulder and he looks towards me, still crying. I offer him a tissue before I start talking. "U-uhm, the only reason I'm here early is because I came here from really far away… and Makoto's family was going on a trip, so he was forced to come early too." The Makoto part is a lie... but at this point I'm just trying to get him to stop crying. "If we had a choice in the matter we wouldn't have gotten here so early, so don't feel bad… okay? It's just us." I say, offering him a small smile. I glance back and see Makoto nodding wildly at him.

He looks at me for a second before he uncurls himself and takes the tissue, blowing his nose. "S-so… I can still set an example…?" He looks at me with watery eyes, and I can't help but think that he looks like a puppy.

...With large eyebrows.

"Of course! Just... please don't cry anymore, okay?" He nods and then stands abruptly, offering me a hand. I take it and stand, dusting off my skirt.

"Very well!" He shouts, completely recovered from his crying fit that happen a few seconds before. "Allow me to introduce myself! My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru! I would appreciate it if you referred to me as Taka, however!"

I stare at him, completely baffled by sudden mood change, before introducing myself. "I'm Chihiro Fujisaki…"

"Makoto Naegi…" He looks just as uncomfortable as me when he introduces himself.

Taka continues, still shouting. "It is a pleasure to meet you both! I hope that we'll get along during our shared school lives!"

I smile nervously at him. "I feel the same… shall we get started moving your things?" I make a grab for one of his bags, but he grabs my arm and stops me short.

"My apologies Chihiro, but I cannot allow you to move my things!" I shoot him a questioning look. "It would be terrible of me to make a girl, such as yourself, move them! Come Makoto, let us begin! We won't let her lift a finger!"

"N-no really Taka, I'll be fine! I'm not as weak as I look…" I say, biting my lip.

"I insist!" He says, grinning. "I would feel awful if you had to work when there are two able-bodied men here!" And with that, he drags Makoto off.

Suddenly alone, I walk back to the lobby where Mr. Kirigiri is standing talking to Miss Yoshie. He raises an eyebrow at me when I enter the area. "Why aren't you helping?"

I can only shake my head. "He wouldn't let me help. He said it wouldn't be right of him for a girl to work when there are two capable guys already there…"

Mr. Kirigiri thinks for a moment then snaps his fingers. "Taka." I nod, and he laughs. "That boy… I wouldn't feel bad Chihiro, he'd be like that with any girl. You can go grab something to eat now, Miss Yoshie will call for you when someone else shows up."

I nod and sigh as I walk off. I know I should expect to be treated like a girl because of how I dress, but it still sucked when Taka treated me like I was inept… I get that he was just being polite, and most people would be flattered but…still. I sigh again and enter the dining hall.

" _I'm such a child! Not even able to accept what I've done to myself…!"_

I walk into the kitchen and make myself a Poptart before I go and grab a seat. As I eat, I can only hope the next people to arrive aren't as much of a handful as Taka was. He seems really nice and all, just really tightly wound. Like... excessively tight.

I don't have much time to wonder before Miss Yoshie's voice crackles through the speakers. "Chihiro dear, would you mind coming to the front? Another person has shown up and needs help moving their things."

"Right away ma'am!" I say, quickly shoving the rest of my food in my mouth.

Once I get up to the front, I see a portly fellow with an antenna of hair sticking up from his head. He's wearing glasses and a shirt that seems a little too tight for him, with a gray sweater on top. He smiles when he sees me.

"Ah, hello there fellow student! Have you been sent here to aid me in moving my things?"

"Y-yes!" I manage to squeak. "M-my name is Chihiro Fujisaki. It's nice to meet you!" I say, gripping the hem of my skirt.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Fujisaki!" He says, chipper. "I am known as Hifumi Yamada, properly bestowed with the title Ultimate Fanfic Creator!" He then looks me up and down, shaking his head.

"U-uhm, is something the matter…?" I ask, uncomfortable with his weird behavior. He then lets out a short laugh.

"Nothing at all! It's just that you appear to be the typical "tiny-and-shy girl" character… almost every game has one. Of course there would be one here!" He says, putting his hands on his hips.

I look at him wide-eyed. "What do you mean? I've played lots of games and I've almost never seen any characters like me!"

"Oh yes, quite common in the kinds of games I play." He says, nodding. "It turns out that your type is very desirable among most men."

Not entirely sure what he's talking about, I simply nod. "I-If you say so, Hifumi… what should I move first?"

He scratches his chin as he thinks. He then turns and points to a small box. "That one shouldn't be too heavy."

I nod and pick it up. It's actually pretty light! I start walking toward the school, but just then Taka runs out of the building, Makoto hot on his heels.

"You there! You're taking up the entirety of the gate way! Move your personal belongings at once!" He commands. His sudden yell startles me...

...So much so that I end up tripping. Quite spectacularly, if I do say so myself.

"Ow, ow, ow!" I say, rubbing my forehead. That actually really hurt!

Taka then rushes over to me. "Chihiro! Are you alright!?" He shouts, really close to my ear. The then turns back to Hifumi. "What were you thinking when you made her carry something before you even started working yourself!?"

"I was about to grab stuff!" Hifumi shouts, indignant. "She just got a head start is all!"

"A likely story!" Taka says, crossing his arms. "Makoto, you agree he's suspicious, right?"

I shake my head. "Taka, its fine! Really, I'm the one who offered to help him-" I cut myself off when I turn to gather the contents of the box I had spilled. My face instantly heats up.

Strewn in front of me is a collection of various pornographic comics, all of which are extremely graphic. My hands fly to cover my eyes.

Makoto walks over. "Hey Chihiro, what's wro-" His face goes redder than mine when he sees it. "Dude, what the hell!? Why'd you bring a bunch of porn with you?"

As Taka freezes with shock, Hifumi crosses his arms. "How dare you refer to my art as mere smut! These are some of the best fanfiction on the market, I'll have you know!"

"Fanfiction!?" Makoto shrieks. "Dude, there's a distinct difference between a porno and a fan-written story! This is just...!"

"It's not porn! It is the fiction of fans, such as myself! What we all want to see but what the creator will never show…" He strikes a pose. "It's my mission in life to inform the uncultured masses of what true art really is! And this!" He scoops up one of the comics and holds it in front of him. "Is it!"

"No, that looks like porn to me."

"Well who asked you-" He yells, but freezes when he sees the girl who's suddenly standing in front of him. "Waaaah! It's an alien!"

I turn to look at the newcomer. She has short black hair and calculating grey eyes. Right now she's wearing a white collared shirt with a red ribbon tie, and a black checkered skirt. She just shakes her head at Hifumi's outburst.

"I'm not an alien." She says simply. "And that's porn."

"Uhm-?" I say from my spot on the ground. "If you don't really mind me asking… w-who are you?" I look up at the intimidating girl, before she smiles at me and holds a hand out, effectively surprising me.

"Mukuro Ikusaba is my name." I take her hand and she helps me up. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Chihiro."

Finally breaking out of his shocked state, Taka yells out. "How did you know Chihiro's name!?"

"It's simple really." She lets go of my hand, expression neutral. "I've been observing you all for a couple of minutes. You're Taka, the one holding the porn is Hifumi, and the boy with the blush on his face is Makoto."

"R-really?" I squeak. "That's amazing! I didn't even notice you were there!" I look at her in surprise, but she shrugs as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

"I would be worried if you had. As a soldier, I've been trained to conceal my presence. You'd have to be extremely perceptive to have noticed."

Makoto has a bewildered expression on his face. "Really? A soldier? That's so cool!" He suddenly walks up to her. "Does that mean you're really good with guns? Or are you more of a hand-to-hand type of soldier?"

It's a little hard to tell, but she looks to be just a little flustered. "I suppose you could say... I'm good at everything? I was invited to this school because of it…" As she says this she rubs her shoulder with her right hand, which has a tattoo on it.

I remember seeing that image somewhere on the internet, but I can't really place it… I guess I'll ask her later if I can't remember it.

Taka quickly shakes his head. "Regardless of all that, we need to get a move on and clear the area for other arriving students! You!" He points toward Hifumi. "Clean up your filth; I'd hate for that to be the first thing someone sees as they begin their school life here! Makoto and I will load the rest of your things into your room!"

Saying this, he drags Makoto off towards Hifumi's massive pile of junk. Not knowing what else to do, I turn to Mukuro. "D-do you need any help moving your things…?"

She gives me a quick nod. "I would appreciate it if you gave me a hand. It's not very much, since a lot of my things were sent with my sister's ahead of time, but it's still too much for me to take in one go."

I smile at her and sling a duffle bag over my shoulder, which is heavier than it looks. "Oof. What's in here?" I ask her, sliding it higher on my shoulder.

"Oh, I think I may have some of my rifles in here." She says nonchalant. "They're all cleared of course, so there's nothing to worry about."

…Right. Nothing at all.

She grabs the rest of her things and looks at me with a small smile. "I'll be sharing a room with my sister, so I'll tell you where to put that when we get in there." I nod at her in response, and we make our way to her room.

On the short trip there, we end up chatting about lots of different things. Apparently Mukuro had joined a military group when she and her sister had been split up in foster care. After three years had passed, they managed to re-unite after she quit her group.

"By then... Junko had already become a completely different person from what I remembered. She had started modeling, gotten in with a bad crowd, and her attitude had completely changed…." She pauses for a moment and sighs. "But that's why I decided to come here with her. I wanted to get to know the person my sister had become, and see if there was any way I'd be able to get her back to the way she used to be..."

"Wow…" I say, amazed. "How did you two end up being split apart in foster care, anyway?"

"Well… our parents had adopted both of us when we were babies. When they died, there was nothing that legally bound us as sisters anymore, so… the court didn't really find it hard to separate us." She frowns slightly, opening the door to her room. "That's why our last names are different. When we were split apart, we went back to our original last names."

When we enter her room, it's clearly divided into two sections of boxes. Mukuro heads off the left, and I follow, propping the bag up against the wall.

"...Y-you know Mukuro… that was all really personal stuff you just told me. Are you really comfortable with someone you just met knowing all that..?" I ask after a few beats of silence. She stays quiet for a while before answering.

"In all honesty? No, not really." She says, shaking her head. "But there are a couple of things that made me tell you. For one, I can already tell that you're the sort of person who's trustworthy; someone a person can confide in. Aside from that, though… I felt like I needed to."

"But why?" I ask, tilting my head to the side. There's no reason for her to feel obligated to tell me anything, so...?

She bites her lip for a moment before speaking. "It wouldn't have been right for me to know something deeply personal about you when you don't know anything about me…" She trails off.

I feel a nervous knot in my stomach forming. "W-what do you know about me, exactly…?" She couldn't possibly know _that_ right?

...Right?

"I… noticed when I was observing you all earlier. You're not wearing a bra Chihiro. I know some girls can get away with it but… you're not a girl."

And suddenly my heart stops.

After several beats of silence, I force the words out of my mouth. "How-" I stop for a moment, shocked to my core. "How could you have possibly known? I- No one has ever been able to tell before now! E-ever!"

She looks to the side, guiltily. "I hadn't noticed it intentionally but… there's a distinct difference between a female with a flat chest and a male's chest. Most people would have never noticed, but… in my line of work, it's important to be observant of the people around you." She finishes with a sigh. "I'm so sorry."

I… don't know how to handle this situation. The school year hasn't even begun yet, and I've already been found out!? Why? What had I done in a past life to deserve this…?

I feel tears streak their way down my face, and I sink down to the ground and hug my knees to myself, shaking. "No one… was ever supposed to find out. Why…? Why couldn't I have just lived my life without anyone knowing!? I'm gonna be picked on again, I just know it!"

Mukuro sits down beside me, frowning. "No, Chihiro, they won't. I'm not going to tell anyone."

I turn to look at her so quickly that I can feel my neck pop. "Wh-what? You're… you're not going to tell people?"

She shakes her head. "Like I said, most people wouldn't have noticed it. It's obvious that you're not eager to spread the fact that you're male… so I simply won't tell anyone."

"But… don't you think it's strange and unnatural? That I'm like this? Any other time when I've tried to tell someone about it they'd… call me a freak. A loser." I say, staring at her through the tears. "I've had to move so many times because of it… and you don't think it's odd at all?"

She tilts her head to the side. "Not particularly." She crosses her legs. "You're just wearing clothes that suit you. A cute person should be in cute clothes. It's not weird." She states matter-of-factly. "Do you think that you'd look good wearing what Makoto was wearing?"

"Well… no." I say with a quick shake of my head. "Not really."

She flashes me a small smile. "Well then, there you go. Besides, now that I know, I can… you know, _try_ to help you out. If you need it." She scratches the back of her head. "I wasn't lying when I told you that you seemed like a trustworthy person, and I hope that you would think the same of me… that is, if you'd like to try being friends."

And suddenly my heart stops again. _"She… still wants to be friends? Even knowing that I'm lying…?"_ I start crying for what feels like the thousandth time today.

"U-uh, hey!" She starts panicking. "If you don't want to you can just say so, but please don't start crying again-" I cut her off with a shake of my head.

"I-it's not that!" I choke back another sob. "I'm just so happy right now! You… still want to be my friend! Even though you know about me, you really still do!" And before I know it, I'm bawling again. I know it's embarrassing, but I don't care right now, I'm just too happy!

Unsure of what to do, Mukuro brings me into an awkward one-armed hug and pats my shoulder until I eventually calm down to just sniffling.

After a few more beats of silence, she speaks up. "Don't… expect me to do that too often. I'm not an extremely feelsy person, and I'm not super comfortable with displaying affection towards… people." She turns her gaze to the floor. "If you ever need to talk about anything at all, you can come to me. I won't hesitate to come and listen if I'm free… do you have a phone?"

I nod, and quickly pull my phone out of my pocket so that we can exchange numbers. I glance towards her and see that… she has a flip phone. I let out a small laugh and she raises an eyebrow.

"How long have you had that phone…?" I ask, smiling at her, wiping residual tears from my eyes. She says she doesn't remember. "It's just that it's really… old. Haven't you considered getting a new one?"

She lets out a long suffering sigh and rolls her eyes. "I swear, you and Junko are the same. Until this one breaks I'm not going to pay for a new one… it works just fine!"

I can't help but giggle at my new friend's outlook. "Hey, I'm a programmer. It's my job to be on the up and up with what's current in the technology world."

She stands and shakes her head. "Those new phones are too flimsy in my opinion. Junko ends up breaking the screen on hers at least once a month."

I stand and look up at her, a little confused. "They only break if you don't handle them properly. They make really tough cases to protect them… does your sister not have one on her phone?"

Mukuro snorts. "Oh she has a case on it, just not a functional one. She refuses to get one that actually works, saying "those aren't cute enough." I swear... she didn't used to be so picky!" She throws her hands up in the air exasperated.

I smile at my new friend. She's not an emotional sort of person from the looks of it, but she seems really genuine when she does express what she's feeling… an extremely blunt person.

"Well, we've been in here for a long time." I say, stretching my back. "Taka probably wouldn't mind helping everyone on his own, but I wouldn't feel comfortable shirking all of my work."

She nods at me. "I'll come and help as well. Things will get done faster with more people on the job."

With that, we head out to the gates once more.

Once we get to the front lobby, we run into Makoto. "Hey guys, where have you been?" He says, raising a hand in greeting. "You've missed a lot!"

He proceeds to tell us that several more people have shown up. Apparently after we left, a guy by the name of Byakuya Togami had shown up in a limousine. He refused to let anyone but his servants touch his things, and then promptly holed up in his room after they had left.

"Taka tried really hard to get him to come out, but he didn't answer the door at all. As if things couldn't get any weirder, a really quiet girl snuck in and didn't let us touch any of her things either… I didn't get her name." He sighs and shakes his head before continuing.

"After that, we got a few more friendly people. Two girls named Sakura and Hina came together; apparently they're best friends from sports, or something. Then this guy Leon showed up! Apparently he's a baseball player, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at him. Those three were all pretty cool." He nods to himself.

"Wow…" I say, surprised. "I guess we really are getting all types here, huh?"

He snorts. "You're telling me! So many strange people have shown up, I think wasn't being completely honest when he said eccentric."

Mukuro nods at this. "It's to be expected. Most of the people have been invited here because of a special talent… and the talented ones almost always have their quirks. Some more severe than others."

Makoto tilts his head at her. "You don't seem to be all that strange though…" He pauses for a moment before putting his hand to his chin. "Well no, that's not quite right."

She raises an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

He lets out a short laugh. "I mean look at you, you don't seem to have a single scar!" He says, gesturing to her body. "When you think of a soldier, you'd expect them to be burly and be covered in old wounds. There isn't a scratch on you!"

"Do you doubt my abilities?" She narrows her eyes dangerously at him, challenging him to say something else. Clearly she doesn't think of his comment as a compliment.

I gulp. _"It looks like she can be scary when she wants to be… No doubt in my mind she's a soldier."_ I had better be careful not to get on her bad side.

Frantically shaking his head, he responds. "Not at all! I-I was only saying that you've gotta be seriously talented as a soldier to not have been hit once _and_ still look that pretty!"

This renders her speechless for a few moments before her face goes crimson. "C-come on Chihiro." She suddenly grabs my wrist. "There's probably still people out there for us to help." She then drags me off, leaving a confused Makoto behind us.

Once we're out the door, I stop her. "W-wait, Mukuro! What's the problem? Why'd you suddenly drag me off like that?"

She coughs, face still pink. "No reason… we were just wasting time in there talking to him." I can't help but feel she's not being honest with me, but I'm not going to mention it now. Especially because there's a person staring at us.

Snapping to attention, I address the newcomer. "Oh, I'm sorry! W-we're here to help you move in, if you need it." Looking at this person, she appears to be around our age, with light purple hair and purple eyes… which look somewhat familiar.

She shakes her head at me. "There's no need. Most of my belongings are already here... my father had them moved here in advance. I do appreciate the offer, however." She gives me a quick smile.

Mukuro stares at her for a moment before talking. "You… would you happen to be Mr. Kirigiri's daughter?" I look at the girl wide-eyed. It would make sense; they look so similar!

If Mukuro's observation surprised her, it doesn't show on her face. "That's correct. My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. Pleased to meet you."

"Mukuro Ikusaba." She says with a nod. Kyoko looks to me.

"My name is Chihiro Fujisaki. I-It's nice to meet you Kyoko." I say, smiling. "I thought your eyes looked a little familiar."

She sighs and shakes her head. "Please try not to link me to that man, if at all possible. I've only decided to attend this school for the degree; nothing more. As far as I'm concerned, that man is only the headmaster here."

...With that, she turns and walks off into the building.

"That was… interesting." Mukuro says, eyebrow raised. "It would appear as though her and her father aren't on the best of terms."

I nod, feeling like our jovial headmaster didn't deserve such a treatment. "I wonder though… why would she come to the school her father runs if they aren't okay with each other?"

Mukuro shrugs. "I'm unsure, but it's hardly any of our business." She walks over to a low brick fence and sits on it. "We might as well wait a while before we go back inside. There may be a few stragglers that show up later than the rest."

I sit next to her, making sure to tuck my skirt between my legs. We talk outside for about an hour before Mr. Kirigiri comes out.

"You two may as well come inside for now. The next class is due to arrive any moment, and it's not your job to help them out." He says with a sigh. "We're still missing about five students from your class..."

Mukuro speaks up. "Junko won't be coming until tomorrow when classes start." She rolls her eyes. "She said something about being 'fashionably' late." Mukuro jeers, using air quotes for emphasis.

Our headmaster only laughs at this. "I'd expect no less from someone labeled the Ultimate Fashionista. Ah, no matter. We prepared for this after all." He finishes with a stretch.

"Oh right." I say. "You had said something about the first day of classes being a wash because of this?" He nods.

"In all honesty, your class did pretty well. Normally more than half of the students don't show up!" He sighs. "But yeah, you both might as well go and grab some food. It's almost three."

I nod, and we both head toward the dining hall. After a quick meal, Mukuro and I part ways so that she can go unpack. With a yawn, I decide to head to my room for a nap… but I'm stopped by Makoto.

"Hey Chihiro!" He says, smiling. "Wanna watch a movie? I've got some pretty good ones to choose from you know!"

I smile and nod, sleepiness vanishing instantly. It's good to have friends… even if they are a little strange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just like my other story, Mukuro's personality was made up before DR3 was made, and is based off of IF. I decided to make her awkwardly blunt, because she seemed like the kind of person that'd have a really hard time lying for extended periods of time.


	3. Class

I wake up in a haze. I look around, not really registering anything… until I'm suddenly startled fully awake by my alarm. I quickly turn it off and stretch.

"Today is the first day of classes!" I say happily, obviously to no one in particular.

This is what I've been looking forward to all week!

I quickly hop off of the bed and head to the bathroom. After I shower and brush my teeth, I walk out to get dressed. I put on one of my favorite outfits: a dark green plaid skirt with a short-sleeved white collared shirt. I put a grey cardigan on top, and I tie a green ribbon around my neck.

I quickly slide on a pair of knee socks and my shoes, and collect everything I need for class… which is essentially only my laptop. I was going to hand-take some notes, but it's just easier to organize them this way.

As I'm putting it into my travel case, my phone starts buzzing on the table. When I grab it and look at the screen, my face lights up. It's a text from Mukuro!

MI: _Wanna go grab something to eat?_

Smiling, I quickly type out my reply.

CF: _Sure! Meet me in the dining hall in five minutes._

Clicking the screen off, I stick my phone in my laptop bag and sling it across my body. With one last check that I have everything, I leave my room and lock the door behind me.

I start humming softly as I walk down the hall, happy that my new friend wanted to meet up with me. The trip is a short one, and I enter the dining hall to see that there are a few people already here.

A tall boy with glasses is sitting alone in the corner drinking tea, and there's a girl a few tables away staring at him. " _Is she... drooling?"_ Tearing my eyes away from the strange sight, I glance around to see a few other students sitting together. There's a girl with long blond hair, a boy with a scar down his face and mismatched eyes, and another boy with his hair sticking up in a way similar to Makoto's. I'm guessing that they're upperclassmen, because they already seem to be comfortable with each other.

I decide to grab a seat at one of the smaller tables, setting my laptop bag down next to my chair. I'm only left sitting alone for a minute before I see Mukuro enter the area.

"Hey Mukuro!" I say, waving at her. She nods at me and walks over, slumping down in her chair with an irritated sigh. "What's wrong? Not ready for school to start?" I ask with a worried frown.

She shakes her head. "It's my sister. She was supposed to get here this morning, but she hasn't shown up yet."

"Oh right." I say, looking at her. "Didn't she tell you she was going to be fashionably late or something like that?"

She puts her head down on the table. "Yeah… I honestly had thought she'd only meant not showing up on moving day, but it seems Junko just _has_ to be late for school as well." Mukuro grumbles. "I just don't get her anymore…" She trails off and looks up at me. "You're dressed well today. Not the uniform, but still appropriate for school. Nice."

I smile at her, fiddling with my skirt. "T-Thanks, I guess." I look at what she's wearing, and see that it's the standard uniform for the school. "Didn't you feel like changing your uniform at all?"

She shakes her head. "I like uniforms. They eliminate the need to worry about what you're going to wear."

"Well that's true I guess, but-" My stomach suddenly growls, cutting off my reply. I feel my cheeks heat up as Mukuro looks at me with an amused smile on her face.

"Maybe we should do what we initially came here for?" I give her a meek nod, and we walk over to the food line. I end up getting a stack of pancakes, and Mukuro opts for a bowl of cereal.

We walk back to our seats, and just as I'm about to dig in, I notice something out of the corner of my eye.

Something's in my bag.

And it's _moving_.

Ignoring the bad feeling I have in my gut, I bring my bag on to my lap. Whatever's in there is squirming around even more than it initially was. I hold my breath, and slowly open the flap on my bag.

What happens next is something that should only happen in cheesy sitcoms.

"Hyaaa-!" Something small and furry jumps out of my bag and makes its way into my shirt. I stand up, knocking over my chair in the process, trying desperately to get the creature out of my clothes. Suddenly it starts to scurry around, reducing me to a puddle of laughter from how badly it tickled.

Mukuro stares at me in surprise. "Chihiro, what on earth are you doing!?"

"M-my clothes!" I manage to gasp through the giggles. "Th-there's something in my clothes and it- it tickles!" By now we've managed to attract the attention of everyone else in the cafeteria, expressions ranging from concern to complete disinterest.

I drop to my knees, and manage to get the furry creature out when it sticks its head out from between the buttons near the bottom of my shirt.

Cupping the tiny thing between my hands, I slowly open them to see an orange and white rodent peering up at me. "A hamster…?" It then proceeds to climb up my arm and curl up on my shoulder.

I carefully stand and dust my skirt off, trying not to knock the small animal to the floor. I hold up my hand to my shoulder, and the little creature hops on with practiced ease. "Well, aren't you cute…" I say, petting it with my finger. "What were you doing in my laptop bag, though?"

Mukuro walks up behind me and taps my shoulder. I turn to her and she points to the table. "If I had to take a guess, I'd say he was the distraction." I look to where she's pointing and see a larger orange hamster... eating my pancakes.

"Oh no!" I rush over and scoop up the hamster. "You shouldn't eat that little one! You could get sick!" I scold. I'm not sure if it can understand me or not, but it folds its ears down and looks crestfallen. "Awh… I'm sorry! I didn't mean to yell at you…" He perks up slightly, and hops on my other hand next to the smaller hamster. He nearly falls over because my hand is almost too small to hold them both.

I take turns petting each of them. "Where's your owner? They've got to be around here somewhere…" I say, scratching the fur on the larger one's neck.

"It would seem that two of the Dark Devas of Destruction have taken a shine to you... mortal."

I turn in alarm to see one of the boys I noticed earlier looking down at me with crossed arms. He's... intimidating, to say the least.

"I-I'm sorry?" I squeak under his piercing gaze.

He doesn't answer me directly, but he holds out his hand to mine. The hamsters jump on and crawl up his arm to where two other hamsters are perched. "It is most unfortunate that they've shown you their favor… you're now doomed to a life of servitude, I'm afraid." He then laughs slightly. "Of course... that would be better than any life you could have had previously."

"R-Right...." I say, not wanting to delve deeper into that topic. "What are their names…?"

"Oho, so the mortal wishes to know the names of her masters? The two who you've already made contact with are known as Sun-D and Cham-P. The two you remain unfamiliar with go by Maga-Z-" He gestures to the hamster with a damaged ear. "-and Jum-P." He points to the black and grey one.

I smile. "Those are lovely names…" I reach up to stroke Maga-Z and Jum-P, and they happily lean into my fingers. The boy seems surprised, but he stays silent for a moment, simply observing.

"It's been quite a while since the Devas have shown such fondness for a pathetic human in such a short amount of time." He scratches his chin with a bandaged hand. "Mortal, what is it that you are called?"

I quickly retract my finger, suddenly thinking about the proximity of my hand to his face. "I'm Chihiro Fujisaki, U-Ultimate Programmer…"

He quirks an eyebrow. "One wise in the way of technology…? You may be of use to me yet." He says with a smirk. "You may refer to me as Gundham Tanaka, be certain to remember it; it is the name of the one who shall rule this world one day!" Without waiting for my reply, he sweeps out of the dining hall with a flourish.

I stare towards the doors, dumbstruck. "W-What on earth just happened…?" Surely I couldn't be the only one who thought that was weird, right?

The blond girl and the Makoto look-alike walk up to me, one with a polite smile, and the other with an exasperated look on his face.

"What just happened... is that you caught the attention of a delusional animal breeder." The boy says, raking his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry about what you had to go through. Gundham is… a little out of touch."

"Don't be so rude, Hajime!" The blond chides. "You're supposed to introduce yourself before speaking with such familiarity!" She turns to me and curtseys slightly. "My name is Sonia Nevermind, princess of Novoselic. My apologies for my two friend's behavior, I simply don't know what to do with them sometimes!" She laughs a little, but then shoots a pointed look at Hajime.

He rolls his eyes. "Sorry. My name's Hajime Hinata. Nice to meet ya, Chihiro."

...A princess? A real, actual princess? She certainly looks the part, but...

Flustered, I stutter out a quick reply so I don't appear rude. "I-Its nice to meet you both as well…! S-so, Gundham is an animal breeder?"

Sonia nods with a smile. "Oh yes! He's really quite fond of animals, but he's absolutely terrible with people. Hajime and I are generally the only ones he will willingly interact with, so it's a little surprising for him to have approached you."

"Well, I did have his hamsters after all…" I say clutching my skirt. "He probably only spoke to me to get them back."

Hajime shakes his head. "Those hamsters always go back to him. The weird part is that they didn't _bite_ you… at all. They generally don't like anyone but Gundham or Sonia touching them. Everyone else gets snapped at."

"It's true! For those hella cuties to take such a shine to you… it certainly was strange! That must have been why Gundam came up to you." She says, nodding to herself.

"Is that so…?" I say, tilting my head to the side. "They seemed so sweet though."

Hajime snorts. "About as sweet as hot sauce. Those evil little things have bitten my hands bloody before." Sonia elbows him in the ribs. "Ow…! I was being honest!"

She smiles at me. "If you'll excuse us Chihiro, we must go locate Gundham. He often wanders around aimlessly after a dramatic exit, I'm afraid."

I nod, but then something occurs to me. "Oh, Hajime?" I ask, stopping them as they're about to leave. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Makoto Naegi, would you?"

His eyes widen a little. "Makoto? He's-"

"Hey Hajime, is that you?"

Speak of the devil.

Makoto runs up from behind him and stands in front of me, practically vibrating with excitement. "It is! Dude, I haven't seen you in forever!" He then tackles him into a hug. "How have you been?"

"F-fine." He says, surprised. "You're… why are you here? Did you join the reserve class or something?"

Makoto shakes his head. "Nope. I'm not smart like you." He grins. "You're looking at class seventy-eight's Ultimate Luckster!"

Hajime grins at him. "Figures _you_ of all people would get in here by dumb luck! Congrats, man."

"Well what about you?" Makoto asks, tilting his head to the side. "Last I heard, you actually got into a normal class here."

He snorts. "Last year when I first joined, the class I'm in now only had fourteen students. I was already sort of friends with some of the people, so Mr. Kirigiri put me with them." He suddenly sneers. "Do you want to know the title he gave me? Ultimate Reserve Student! All of those idiots gave me hell about it for the longest time!"

"Not all of us did, you know!" She puffs out her cheeks a bit in defiance, but they quickly deflate with a sheepish look. "Just… most."

Hajime sighs and turns back to me. "To answer your question Chihiro, he's my cousin. We haven't seen each other in a while... if you couldn't tell."

Makoto turns and looks at me, finally realizing I was there. "Oh, hey Chihiro! I didn't know you knew them!"

"W-we just met." I say, slightly exasperated by my friend's behavior. "So you two really are related…"

"Yep!" Makoto chirps. "How did you guess that by the way? Most people don't realize that we are." He looks at me curiously.

I look at him wide eyed for a moment. _"Is he serious?"_ I look over to Hajime, but he has a similar expression to Makoto's, and is expectantly waiting for an answer. _"T-They're serious…"_

Doing my best not to stare at their matching antennas, I glance off to the side. "I-I suppose it's just intuition?" Makoto grins at me and detaches from his cousin, accepting my answer.

He looks past me and sees Mukuro, who's been silently observing us this entire time. "Hi Mukuro!" He waves at her, and she gives a slight nod in response. He doesn't seem to be happy with her greeting, but he doesn't comment.

Hajime sighs, looking tired. "Well, I can already tell that today is going to be fun." He turns to us. "I'll see you later, I guess. We have a delusional breeder to find." He then turns and leaves, Sonia trailing close behind with a cheerful wave goodbye.

Makoto tilts his head. "Delusional breeder?" I sigh and shake my head.

"Let's just say that it's a very long story." Suddenly my stomach growls again. I'd forgotten about my breakfast! I turn back to get something besides my hamster-nibbled cakes, when there's an announcement over the intercom.

"Attention students!" Mr. Kirigiri's voice sounds through the intercom. "You all have five minutes before home room begins! Please make your way to your classes at your earliest convenience!"

After it cuts off, I hang my head and sigh.

" _Hajime was right… today is going to be fun."_

* * *

Mukuro, Makoto, and I make our way through the school to classroom 1-A.

"Hey guys," Makoto starts. "What do you think the other people in our class are gonna be like? I've met a lot of them, but there are still five people who didn't show up on moving day..."

I tilt my head to the side. "I don't think it's a good idea to be wondering about that… the people who have shown up so far have been really odd for the most part, and those are the ones who were following the rules!" I grab my skirt out of reflex. "I-I hate to imagine what the ones who don't follow the rules are like…"

"Well, I've already told you a little about Junko." Mukuro huffs. "If I had to take a guess, she'd probably be the most poorly behaved one out of the people left."

I give her a nervous laugh. "Is that something you really want people to assume about your sister?"

Makoto goes wide eyed and looks expectantly at Mukuro. "Junko? Your sister?"

She sighs and grips her arm. "Yeah… she's a bit… wild." I glance her way, seeing that she's really uncomfortable talking about her.

" _I guess she wasn't lying when she said she wasn't comfortable with people knowing what happened."_ I think with a sigh. _"Not that I had doubted her."_

Makoto smiles at her. "Oh, she can't be that bad! After all, you're sisters… you're really cool, so she must be too!"

Mukuro's cheeks tint the slightest shade of pink. "Thanks, I suppose... but we're very different. You'll see if she ever decides to show up." She then speeds up the slightest bit.

"H-hey Mukuro, wait up!" Makoto starts, and hurries up to catch up to her. I follow suit, not wanting to have to enter the classroom alone.

We get there quickly from our increased pace, and stand outside the door for a moment before Makoto grips the handle and slides it open. The room appears to be a normal classroom, with a great view of the rear field.

"Hey Makoto!" A tanned girl waves to him from her seat, with a much larger girl sitting beside her. He says a quick goodbye to us before heading over to talk to them.

I turn to Mukuro. "Hey, where do you want to sit?" She shrugs, and I sigh. Looking around, I see a seat with a nice view of the field on the second row. I quickly walk over and put down my things, and she sits in the desk in front of mine.

She sits with her back to the window and turns to me, eyebrow raised. "I would have taken you to be the kind of person to sit in the front."

I shake my head. "N-No, I wouldn't want to bring too much attention to myself by doing that…" I say with a blush. "The teacher always calls on people who sit up front."

She laughs slightly. "I could have sworn that it was the people in the back who were called on the most."

"Really?" I say, curious. "I haven't been to a public school for a while, but-"

I cut myself off when my stomach growls a lot louder than necessary. I bury my face in my hands.

"You didn't actually get to eat any of your pancakes, did you?" Mukuro looks slightly worried. I shake my head. She starts to dig in her bag and pulls out a bag of nuts and hands it to me. "Here. I was afraid of that, so I grabbed these when you were talking to Makoto's cousin."

I look up at her with teary eyes. "R-really…?" I lean up in my seat and hug her, catching her by surprise. "Thank you so much, Mukuro! You're a great friend!" I let her go and open up the bag, stuffing a few nuts in my mouth.

She shakes her head, slight smile on her face. "No problem, I guess…?"

As we continue to talk, more students filter in until the room is near full. Makoto comes and sits next to me just as the teacher walks in.

"Alright guys, shut up and sit down." He says with a yawn. After everyone's seated, he starts again. "Call me Shirabe. I'll be supervising your homeroom class." He appears to be in his late twenties, and is wearing a turtle neck, camo pants, and a long green coat. He's wearing glasses, and has what appears to be a snack sticking out of his mouth. A cigarette substitute?

He strides over to the teacher's desk in the corner and flops down in the chair, kicking his feet up on the desk. "This is the class where you basically do whatever you want. I'll pick a representative from you lot, and they'll be in charge of deciding what your class does for the period."

Taka immediately raises his hand. "I volunteer to be representative, Mr. Shirabe!"

"Fine, go nuts." He says waving him off. "But don't add the mister to the front of my name, I'm not that old yet." He then proceeds to crack open a newspaper, seemingly drowning us out.

Grinning, Taka walks and stands behind the podium. "Good morning my fellow classmates!" He shouts. "Because this is our first day, I'd like for us to begin by introducing ourselves to each other properly!"

A boy with orange hair and piercings speaks up. "Why? We've all basically met, right?"

"While that is true, I feel like it may be best for all of us to gain a deeper understanding of each other! We're going to be together for a long time you know-" He's cut off by the door slamming open.

"Whoops, that was a lot harder than I meant it to be!"

I turn to look at the door where a scruffy looking man is standing. Behind him is a girl dressed in gothic clothes. She brushes past him and enters the room.

"Lovely first impression." She says with an overly sweet smile. "Why is it that the first person I meet from my class must be a dirty brute?"

"H-Hey!" He yells. "I'm not dirty! I shower every day!" He then turns and smells his armpit. "I _so_ do not stink…"

"Hold it!" Taka yells, pointing at the two of them. "What on earth do you think you're doing!? You're late!" He crosses his arms. "How do you intend to explain yourselves!?"

The girl plays with one of her twin curls. "I had a tournament I had to participate in." She replies, nonchalant.

The guy scratches his chin. "I sorta forgot the move in day was yesterday…"

Taka looks about ready to burst. "Unacceptable!" He turns to Shirabe. "Are you not going to give these two slackers detention!?"

He glances up from his paper. "It's the first day. I'll give em a break." He then continues to read, leaving a dumbstruck Taka staring at him.

The girl claps her hands together. "Wonderful! I suppose I'll just find my seat then…"

Taka quickly recovers however. "Not yet!" He steps down from the podium and gestures for the girl to go up. "We were just about to begin introducing ourselves! Why don't you start us off?"

They stare at each other for several beats of tense silence before the girl sighs. "If I must." She slowly makes her way up to the podium before she turns towards us and begins to speak.

"My name is Celestia Ludenberg, Ultimate Gambler." She says with a small curtsey. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Makoto quirks an eyebrow. "The Queen of Liars right?"

"Oho, so my reputation precedes me." She puts her hand to her mouth. "Yes, that is one of the many titles I've earned."

I look at him confused. "Queen of Liars?"

He nods. "I did my research on a couple of potential students who were coming; she was one of the ones I could actually find stuff on. There are rumors that she's cleaned out some of the best gamblers in the underground, raking in over a million dollars in a single game… Plus, not a single person knows her real name!" He whispers to me. "She's not the kind of person you want on your bad side."

I nod with a gulp. It looks like someone scary has shown up…

"Well?" Taka says, crossing his arms. "What else?"

"Oh, I'm supposed to say more?" She says, tilting her head innocently.

"Of course!" He exclaims. "Give us something else! Do you have any family? Hobbies? Interests?"

She puts her finger to her lips. "I… have a cat. His name is Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg. I also enjoy European culture." She turns to taka with a huff. "May I be excused now?"

Sensing that was all he was going to get out of the girl, he gives her a curt nod. He then turns to the scruffy man. "You're up next!"

The man nods and saunters up to the podium. "What's up guys, my name's Yasuhiro Hagakure! But you all can call me Hiro." He scratches his chin. "I have a mom, and I like playing video games."

"Can I ask a question?" The tan girl says, raising her hand. "What's your talent?"

Hiro slams his hands down on the podium, making everyone jump. "An excellent question!" He stands to full height. "I am…" He takes a dramatic pause before pulling out a glass ball. "The Ultimate Clarivoyant!"

The room remains completely silent for a few minutes before Mukuro raises an eyebrow. "…A fortune teller?"

"Correct!" He exclaims, raising the crystal ball high in the air. "My predictions come true about thirty percent of the time! I can give you a free reading if you'd like!"

Mukuro immediately shakes her head. "Not necessary." He looks crestfallen, and steps down from the podium.

Taka pats his back and nods. "A very nice introduction! Now, who's next!?"

The tan girl frantically waves her hands in the air. "Oh oh me! Pick me!" Taka nods at her and she steps to the front. "Hi everyone! My name's Aoi Asahina, but everyone just calls me Hina! I'm here with the title Ultimate Swimmer!" She flashes a peace sign. "I love donuts, and it's probably going to take me a long time to remember your names! I also have a little brother named Yuta!"

Taka nods at her. "Very well, why don't you pick who goes next?"

She peers across the room with narrowed eyes, when suddenly the door slides open.

"Helloooo everyone!" A very loud blonde walks in, hair done up in twin tails and an _extremely_ doctored uniform. It's buttoned so that it shows ample amounts of cleavage with a skirt that barely reaches mid-thigh. She's wearing heavy makeup that emphasizes her piercing blue eyes. "So sorry that I'm late! It took my stylists so long to make this uniform even remotely acceptable! But there's no need to worry now, Ultimate Fashionista Junko Enoshima is at your service!"

Taka looks at her, scandalized. "A-Acceptable!? That is by far the definition of _un-_ acceptable! Does that even count as a skirt anymore!?"

Ignoring him, the blonde scans the room until her eyes fall on Mukuro. "Hey sis!" She grins and walks over, hugging Mukuro so that her head is stuck in between her breasts. "Figures that you'd be a square and get here early!"

Mukuro's reply is muffled by her sister's chest. "Hah? You're gonna have to speak louder!" She says, grinning down at her. Mukuro shoves her sister off.

"I said," She says with a glare, attempting to catch her breath. "That I wasn't early, you're just incredibly late!"

Junko crosses her arms in a pout. " _Fashionably_ late, sis!"

Looking at the pair, I think I get why Mukuro said that they were worlds different. I throw a couple more nuts in my mouth to stifle a laugh. Junko turns and glares at me.

"Whatchu snorting about pipsqueak?" She says, standing at full height.

I frantically shake my head. "I-I didn't snort! I… was just eating my breakfast…"

She raises a perfectly groomed eyebrow at me. "I'm pretty damn sure I heard a snort." She grins maliciously at me. "Are you saying I'm lying…?"

Junko had done a complete one-eighty from how she was just minutes ago. There's a crazy gleam in her eye that's just begging me to say something else. Against my better judgement, I try to stand by my innocence.

"I- But I-, I really didn't snort at you…" I say, clutching my skirt. Mukuro looks on with a torn expression, as if she were debating on whether or not to call out her sister's poor behavior.

"So you _are_ calling me a liar… I don't really like being called names, see." She punctuates her sentence with a sharp click of her nails on my desk. The whole room is observing us in a tense silence. Suddenly she smiles in an overly-saccharine way. "I really think you ought to just apologize to me. Get on your knees and beg for forgiveness, and I _may_ just let this slide."

I can't force any words out. Junko sneers. "Are you stupid _and_ deaf? Get on your knees…" She slams her foot on the ground and crosses her arms. "And beg!"

I'm left frozen fear, tears welling in my eyes. Just as she's about to lay into me again, a new voice cuts in.

"I really think you may want to leave that chick alone, bitch."


	4. Class...?

I look over to the door where the voice came from. Standing there is an extremely tall, muscular guy glaring at Junko from across the room. She laughs at the newcomer.

"Oh this is just a riot! They let _you_ in here?" She sneers at him, but there's a slight tremor in her voice. "I guess they really must be desperate for students if they're letting gang leaders in here! Pathetic!"

Looking at him, he really _does_ look like the type of guy that would be the head of a gang. His hair is styled into a pompadour, and his glare is even more intimidating than Junko's. _"At least it isn't directed at me…"_

He only glares harder at her snide comment. "I was gonna say the same about letting a psycho bitch like you in. You don't know when to quit, do you?" He cracks his knuckles and walks toward us, Junko shrinking back a little as he does. I was expecting him to get in her face, but instead he flops down in the desk behind me, making me jump. I glance back to see him still glaring at her. "Just back the hell off. I bet you don't even know this chick's name, and you still decided to cause a damn scene."

Junko fumes at his attitude. "Oh please! You don't even know what she did!" She crosses her arms and flares her nostrils. "Don't comment on something you're not a part of!"

"Get over yourself." He growls. "I know you well e-fucking-nough to guess that you picked a fight with her." He gestures towards me. "Or are you gonna tell me _she's_ the one who came up to _you_ and started mouthing off? I don't buy it for a second."

"Oh, why don't you just fuck _off_ , you stupid little hood rat!" She flips him the bird. "You don't know _shit_! No wonder that little twat left your gang!" A vein becomes visible on his forehead, and he looks ready to put her through the wall. By some miracle he opts to stay silent. "I totally saved her a lot of fucking trouble-"

Shirabe picks this moment to finally intervene. "That's _enough_ Junko." He stands and saunters over to her, stern look on his face. "I'm by no means a strict person, but you took it way too far, young lady. You and I are going to the headmaster's office." She starts to reply, but he glares and cuts her off. "Now."

Mumbling a several curses under her breath, Junko stalks out of the room with Shirabe hot on her heels. Before he leaves, he turns to me. "Sorry you had to go through that, little lady. I'll try to straighten her out for you." He produces a box of cookie sticks from his coat and hands it to me. He quickly tells Taka to look over the class and leaves, slamming the door shut behind him.

Several moments of tense silence pass by before Taka awkwardly clears his throat. "Now that the trouble maker has been… taken care of, I suggest we all continue with our introductions!" He scratches awkwardly at the back of his head. "Are there… any takers?"

No one answers for a while, but eventually Kyoko raises her hand. "I'll go up next."

As she introduces herself to the class, my stomach finally drops from my throat so that I can breathe properly again. _"I didn't honestly think that I'd have this issue right off the bat…"_ Glancing down to the open bag of nuts on my desk... they suddenly don't seem appetizing. I hesitantly open up the box of snacks Shirabe had given me and put one in my mouth. _"If it weren't for that guy, I'm certain she would have made me get on my knees… or worse."_

I'm broken out of my thoughts by Taka's piercing voice. "A splendid introduction to get us back on track! Now then, I do believe I'll introduce myself next!"

I absent-mindedly munch on the snacks while the next few introductions occur. After Taka finishes, Makoto volunteers to go next, with Hifumi following soon after. As he rambles on about the greatness of the two-dimensional female, I hear a loud growl from behind me.

Glancing back, I see the guy who saved me glaring out the window. Upon further inspection, he has the slightest tinge of pink on his tanned cheeks. _"Is he… hungry?"_ I take a quick look around the room, noting that no one else seemed to have noticed it; most people are falling asleep or listening to Hifumi with slight disgust.

I gather up my nerves and turn fully to the boy, holding up the box of snacks to him with a slightly shaky hand. "U-Uh, hey…" I whisper, getting his attention. "Do you- Do you want some?" I ask, hoping my face isn't as red as it feels.

He hesitates for only a moment before quickly nodding and grabbing a couple of the sticks, promptly shoving one in his mouth. "Thanks girlie." He says, shooting me a grin. "Saved my ass."

I shake my head. "Not nearly as much as you saved mine." I give him a small smile, nervous knot in my stomach dissipating slightly. "T-Thanks for that by the way, she was honestly one of the scariest people I'd ever met… and I'd only known her for a minute."

He grunts, leveling a glare at his desk. "You 'n me both. She was the _last_ person I wanted to see here…" He quickly changes the subject while biting into another snack. "So, what's yer name?"

"O-Oh, I'm Chihiro Fujisaki…" I suddenly feel nervous all over again. "I-It's very nice to meet you." He looks at me silently for a moment before he full out smirks at me.

"No need to be so nervous girlie… I'm not as scary as I look, honest!" What I saw earlier sort of contradicts that, but at least he seems to be okay with me. "So kill that stuttering bull you got going on, alright? Just calm down a bit."

"I'll try…" I say, scratching my cheek slightly. "But it's not really because I think you're scary or anything. I'm just not used to people."

He seems surprised at my words. "You… don't think I'm scary?" He scowls a bit, confusion becoming obvious. "That's really fucking weird, ya know."

"It… is?" I say, suddenly worried.

"Uh, yeah?" He says, a little snarky. "I'm big, mean, loud, and I cuss like a fucking sailor. Most people, chicks like you especially, turn tail and run when they see me comin'." He sighs a little. "So yeah, it's pretty damn weird."

"B-But…" I start, clutching my skirt. "You helped me out when Junko was harassing me. You're obviously not a bad person, so… I don't really think there's any reason to be afraid of you." I look him dead in the eye as I say this, which catches both him and I off guard. I refuse to break my gaze though.

He stares at me for a while before he finally finds his voice. "…Ya know, you're sorta strange. In a good way I mean." He grins suddenly. "Ya know what? I like you! I think I've found my very first ladybro here!"

I stare at him incredulously, and he only laughs and continues. "I'm serious. You seem like a pretty cool chick. Most of the time, the broads I get involved with are… well, ya know, loud." He scratches the back of his head. "So whaddya say, wanna try being friends?"

Shocked that he'd actually want someone like me as a friend, I only manage to nod dumbly. He grins at me and appears like he's going to say something else… but I turn away when I hear someone loudly clearing their throat. Taka is looking down at us with a stern expression on his face.

"You two!" He shouts, noticeably irritated. "What on earth do you think you're doing!?"

"Hah? We were jus' eating some snacks." My new friend says, matching his irritation.

"Not that! You were talking during Hifumi's introductory speech!" He crosses his arms. "That was incredibly rude! How do you intend to explain yourselves?"

I start to tear up for what seems like the thousandth time today and clutch my skirt, unable to look Taka in the eye. My newfound friend sees this and immediately flips Taka the bird. "Take a look around, twat rocket!" He gestures to everyone else in the room. "Do you see anyone at all paying attention to lardo's fetish speech? No! Why the hell haven't you kicked him off the podium yet?"

Taka simply crosses his arms. "I was listening intently to what my classmate had to say! As amoral as it is, it's our duty as his classmates to learn about him and attempt to be friends!"

"Even though he's flashing porn at us?" He says, pointing at the boy in question. Said boy immediately hides the smut in question behind his back, but not quickly enough. Taka lets out a howl of mortification before going over to him and chewing him out harder than he had us.

After confiscating the dirty comic, Taka sighs. "How could you have not learned your lesson from the last time?! …Oh well, it doesn't matter! You!" He points to the boy behind me. "Come up here next!"

"Why the hell should I?" He crosses his arms indignantly. "I was _sorta_ having a conversation over here!"

Taka doesn't say anything, but he simply keeps staring at the boy with his arms crossed until he finally groans. "Augh, fine! I'll do the fucking introduction, alright?" He trudges up to the podium and takes his place, cursing softly under his breath.

"Alright… Name's Mondo Owada." He crosses his arms at us. "You all prolly heard that bitch say this, but I'm here 'cause I'm the best damn gang leader there is."

I look up at him, having just heard his name for the first time. _"So his name is Mondo…"_ I smile to myself. _"I think it suits him."_ I quickly turn my attention back to him, pushing those thoughts out of my head.

He looks toward Taka with a look that screams "am I done yet," but Taka simply waves him on.

Mondo groans. "Fine… My motorcycle is one of the best damn ones you can get. It's a Kawasaki with a twin motor, and basically rides like a fucking dream… Ya really can't get one better than that!"

Without waiting for Taka's approval, Mondo heads back to his seat behind me and flops down with a sigh. Taka doesn't object, and simply calls up Mukuro. She starts her introduction off by apologizing for her sister, but I stop listening when Mondo starts talking to me again.

"Damn, I fucking hate introducing myself like that. What a pain…"

I turn back around and shake my head at him. "I think you did pretty good… You seemed really excited when you were talking about your motorcycle." I shoot him a small smile, and he grins.

"I always get excited when I talk about my hog. You ever been on a motorcycle before? It's one of the best thrills you'll ever experience!" He looks like he's about to set off on a rant about how great motorcycles are, but Taka shoots us a pointed look. Mondo flips him off again. "Whatever… we better stop talking now so the princess over there doesn't get his panties in a bunch again." The moral compass looks absolutely mortified at Mondo's name calling, but he doesn't comment.

I turn my attention back to the podium just in time to see Mukuro stepping down and heading back toward me. I smile at her a little, and she gives me a shaky one back. Seems like she isn't comfortable with what her sister did earlier, not that I blame her for it.

"A splendid introduction Mukuro!" Taka turns back to the rest of the class. "Who should go next?"

The rest of the introductions go smoothly, with me learning the names of the last few people I wasn't acquainted with. The two I had seen in the cafeteria this morning are Byakuya Togami and Toko Fukawa, both of which aren't personable in the least. Getting them to talk was a near-miracle… and one I'd not like to happen again, if I'm being honest. Byakuya seems like a stuck up jerk from what little he said, and Toko… was extremely strange.

The last two, Leon Kuwata and Sakura Ogami, weren't nearly as bad. Sakura is a world-class martial artist and seems to be very level-headed. Apparently she and Hina are best friends, though she didn't specify how they met. Leon… was a little strange. He had gotten in here because of his skill in baseball, but from what he said, he sounded like he hated the sport… and he really didn't look the part at all.

"Alright!" Taka says after Leon finishes. "Last, but not least… Chihiro, if you'd be so kind!"

I give him a stiff nod, and shakily make my way up to the podium. Once I get up there, I opt to sit in the chair behind it so that more than just my head is visible. I fist my hands in my skirt and take a deep breath. "M-My name is Chihiro Fujisaki… I-I was invited here because of my skills in programming…"

Before I have a chance to say anything else, Hina darts her hand up into the air. "What do you mean by programming?"

Not expecting a question, I pause for a moment in panic. "Ah? …W-well, I work and code different programs into computers and other technology."

She tilts her head to the side in confusion. "I… don't get it."

Before I can clarify, Byakuya scoffs. "She means that she makes computers and the software inside them work. Are you a complete moron?"

She outwardly glares at him. "Hey, I'm not a moron! Where do you get off saying that to someone you just met!?"

"I'm simply saying what I observed. I'm certain most everyone else understood what programming meant." He crosses his arms and glares back at her.

"Oh, um…" I start, trying to diffuse the situation. "The term programmer can apply to a lot of things…"

He only snorts again. "No, it can't. You can program different things, but to program something is to program something. Stop trying to defend her stupidity."

"B-But, she… you can't call her stupid from one thing that she's said-"

"I can actually. Anyone could tell she's only here because of her swimming capabilities, not for anything that's intelligent." He smirks at me slightly and pushes up his glasses. "You really should just stop talking now… you're only making yourself look dumb by defending her."

I feel tears spring up in my eyes, but I don't say anything and simply look down. Oh, how I want to tell him that he's wrong, that I'm just doing what's right… but my mouth refuses to form the words. I take a deep breath to try and force them out, but suddenly Mr. Kirigiri's voice chimes in through the intercom.

"Attention students!" He starts with a sigh. "As usual, there have been excessive absences today. I was planning on having the students who bothered to show up continue with class as usual, but something has come up that requires the staff's attention. From this point, classes are officially canceled. Don't break any rules, and have a nice weekend!"

The intercom cuts off as suddenly as it had come on, and it only takes a moment for everyone to process what he'd said.

"Although it's unexpected…" Taka sighs, breaking the silence. "He must have had a good reason. No matter! I'll simply study on my own!"

As he rushes out of the room, I walk back to my seat to grab my laptop, grateful for the interruption. "It's a good thing that didn't escalate…" I mumble with a frown. "I dunno if I could have stood up to him…"

"Hey, Chihiro?" Mondo says, making me jump. "You alright? That guy was kind of being a dick."

"O-Oh, I'm fine!" I say, waving him off. Of course I'm lying through my teeth, but I'd hate to unload my confidence issues on someone I just met. It doesn't feel right. "Really, it's not a big deal."

He doesn't seem to buy it fully, but he nods anyway. "If ya say so. I'll see ya around girlie, I got stuff to set up." I quickly say goodbye, and he turns away with a wave. I sling my laptop bag over my shoulder and quickly exit after him, wanting nothing more than to hole up in my room for a while.

Once I get to the dorm area, I'm stopped by Mukuro.

"Ah, Chihiro, do you mind if I talk with you in your room for a bit?" She asks, rubbing her arm.

I nod slightly. "No, I don't mind. Let's go?" She nods and follows me to my room, not speaking until we're both inside and I have the door shut behind me.

"L-Look, Chihiro… I really want to apologize for what happened. Junko… she's very volatile, if you hadn't noticed. I'm not sure why she snapped at you like that…" As she says this she looks completely ashamed, as if she were the one who had done it to me.

I shake my head at her. "It's nothing you need to apologize for Mukuro. You didn't do anything!"

"But that's just it!" She bites out. "Junko was clearly in the wrong, and yet… I didn't do anything to help you! I just sat there…" She growls in frustration. "If that guy hadn't shown up, who knows what would have happened!"

I look at my friend with sad eyes. "Mukuro… I don't blame you for what happened. Junko is the one who did those things to me. If you had intervened, she would have probably gotten mad at you, too. Please don't beat yourself up for what happened, alright?"

If only to appease me, she nods a little. "I'll try not to… I still can't help but feel guilty about it though." She plops down on my bed with a heavy sigh. "You're way too kind for your own good, you know."

I giggle at her remark. "Just because I don't blame you for your sister?"

She scratches her head. "Well… not just that. I'm saying it from what I observed of you today." I stare at her in confusion and she continues. "Like earlier this morning with that fiasco at breakfast. Instead of yelling and getting angry at that guy and his hamsters like most people would, you just lightly scolded them and made friends out of him and his companions."

I bite my lip and look off to the side. "W-Well, I wouldn't say we're friends but-"

"But you're probably going to be." Mukuro says, cutting me off.

I shoot her an exasperated look. "Maybe… but still! How does that make me too kind?" She sighs and shakes her head.

"I don't know…" The soldier lays back on my bed. "It's just easy to tell that you're a gentle soul, I guess. You're the type of person where someone can tell before talking to you that you're… well, nice. It's just your presence." She glares at the ceiling a little. "…Some people might mistake that for weakness."

I kick at the ground a little. "No… it wouldn't be a mistake. I really am weak… Why do you think I dress like this?" I flop down on the bed next to her. "I told you before I was bullied for how I am… but the whole reason I started dressing like this in the first place is because I'm so weak. 'It's alright for girls to be weak right?' 'They'd leave me alone if I was a girl, right?' That's what I thought… but it was a childish solution. Once I tried to get stronger, to tell people I was actually a boy… they bullied me even worse than before. So I just stayed like this, because it was easier." I wipe away a few tears, and Mukuro stays silent for a while just processing my words.

"…I see. So, why didn't you just wear boy clothes when you came here?" She says, turning her head towards me. "Wouldn't that have been the perfect time to change?"

"It would have been… but these clothes are a sort of security blanket for me now. I don't really feel comfortable in anything else." I let out a shaky sigh. "Even if I did, people would definitely make fun of me for how small I am. It's… It's not really _normal_ for a boy to look like I do."

"While it is true that you're really too cute and small to look like the textbook definition of a teenage boy-" I cringe slightly at Mukuro's words. How blunt. "I think you're wrong in thinking that the people here are normal."

I turn to her and see her looking back at me. "A normal person would probably think you're strange, but… no one in this school can be defined as normal. What makes you think that they'd even bat an eye at you?"

I huff at her a little. "…People like your sister. S-She'd probably never let me live it down if she knew I was male."

Her thoughtful expression turns into a grimace, knowing full well I'm right. "Well, we're just speaking hypothetically anyway… you're not going to tell anyone that you're a boy any time soon." She shakes her head and turns her gaze back to the ceiling. "That was a little bit of a tangent, but my main point is that I'm really sorry for what happened. I'm going to try to keep her in check from now on so that this doesn't happen again, alright?"

I sigh and shake my head at the circle of a conversation we had. "Like I said, you didn't need to apologize…" We then fall into a semi-comfortable silence for a few minutes, before something suddenly occurs to me.

"Oh, Mukuro?" She grunts. "That guy, Mondo… did you know him from before as well? It looks like he and your sister already know each other."

She sits up and looks down at me. "No... I was just as surprised as the rest of you. I only came back a few months ago, so… they must have met before that." A dark look passes over her face. "I had known that she'd fallen in with a bad crowd… but I didn't think it was _that_ bad."

I look at her with a frown. "I don't really think Mondo is a bad guy though. He did help me with your sister, after all…"

She shakes her head. "…That's not what I meant. I was wondering what kind of crowd she must have fallen in with if she's on the _bad_ side of the most feared gang leader in the country. What sis did… must not have been good in the slightest."

She suddenly stands, making me jump. "Sorry to leave so abruptly Chihiro, but there's someone I need to go talk to. I'll see you later." She smiles at me before turning away and quickly exiting my room. I'm left staring at the door in surprise.

" _She seemed to be in a hurry. I wonder who she was going to see…?"_ I shake my head. It's really not any of my business, so I shouldn't worry about it too much. I flop back down and stare at my ceiling for a minute or so before my stomach growls loudly.

"…No matter how many snacks I ate, it just doesn't make a meal." I mumble under my breath, willing my blush away. I don't even know why I'm blushing… since no one's even here. Sighing at my body's reactions, I decide to make my way to the cafeteria so I can get some real food.

* * *

The scene I walk into when I enter the dining hall is nothing short of… uncomfortable. Sonia is standing with her back towards me and her arms crossed, with Hajime, Gundham, a boy with pink hair and eyes, and a chubby boy in a chef's jacket kneeling in front of her.

I don't understand what's going on exactly, but I'm not sure I _want_ to.

I try to sneak by them without getting noticed so that I can make some food, but Sonia calls out to me as soon as I'm in her line of sight. "Oh Chihiro! Hello again!" She waves cheerfully at me and I give a small wave in return.

"Hello Sonia." I walk over and stand next to her in front of the kneeling boys. "U-Uhm, if it's not too much trouble… do you mind telling me why they're kneeling in front of you…?" She suddenly frowns and puffs out her cheeks.

"These four hooligans," She gestures to the boys in front of her. "Caused a huge scene in class today! I am completely ashamed to call them my friends at the moment!" She turns and points to the chef. "Teruteru had made us all a lovely banquet to celebrate the start of another year, but Gundham's hella cute hamsters got into it! He started freaking out and tried hitting the hamsters off with Souda's favorite wrench, causing him to freak out! It was really most unpleasant!"

I nod slightly, thinking that the pink haired boy must be Souda. "T-That doesn't really explain why Hajime is down there though…"

She rounds on him. "Oh, he's the worst offender of all! He just sat there while all of this was happening!"

"H-Hey, what the hell am I, the idiot police!?" Hajime says, scowling at Sonia. "It's not my job to keep all of our class dunces from killing each other!"

Souda turns to him and wails. "Hajime, that's cold! Why would you say such an awful thing about your soul friend?"

"Because it's the truth!" He says, clutching his head. "The majority of our classmates can be classified as an idiot in one way or another! Why is it that _I'm_ the one who has to monitor you all?"

Sonia huffs. "Usually you're the one who keeps everyone else in line!" She puts her hands on her hips. "You are not allowed to complain about something that you do on the norm regardless! Take responsibility!"

Listening to their exchange… I can't help but feel bad for Hajime. It sounds like his life is stressful. "S-Sonia, maybe you should go easy on them? It is the first day after all… things happen!" She suddenly rounds on me with a stern gaze, and I clutch my skirt out of nervousness. "P-Please…?"

Her piercing gaze stays on me for a few more tense moments before she suddenly smiles at me. "Very well then. You have a heart of gold, Chihiro!" She turns to the boys. "You all are very lucky that such a nice girl decided to vouch for you! Next time... I will not be so pleasant!" She then suddenly turns on her heel and leaves the dining hall, leaving me alone with the kneeling boys.

Hajime is the first to stand. "Jeez… you're basically a miracle worker, Chihiro. She was seriously going to lay into us…"

"Yeah!" The boy named Souda pops up. "Why did you stop her!?" I look at him in shock and Hajime smacks him on the back of the head.

"Please ignore him." He dusts his pants off and sighs. "He has a major thing for Sonia, so anything she does… makes him happy. It's completely nasty." He looks at the boy in question with unmitigated disgust.

"Awh, shaddup Hajime! You're just mean!" He sniffles slightly but then turns to me. "Don't listen to him! My feelings for Miss Sonia are pure!" He sighs at my look of disbelief, but his expression quickly shifts into a pointy-toothed grin. "Whatever. My name's Kazuichi Souda… But everyone just calls me Souda. I'm the Ultimate Mechanic! Nice to meet ya!"

"And I-" I jump when I notice that the other boy is right next to me. "-Am Teruteru Hanamura, Ultimate Cook!... Though I prefer the title Ultimate Chef. It's a pleasure…" He winks at me, and I smile at them.

"O-Oh, I'm Chihiro Fujisaki. I have the title Ultimate Programmer… It's very nice to meet you both."

"Oho, cute and smart huh? A winning combination!" Teruteru nods to himself. "Though it will be difficult for you to fall for my poison trick…" He trails off and starts mumbling to himself. Hajime shoots me a look that screams "don't ask."

Souda, on the other hand, looks absolutely ecstatic. "A programmer!? Perfect! Would you be interested in helping me with a little project?"

"M-Me?" He nods and looks at me with sparkly eyes. "Well... I guess I wouldn't mind, but-"

"Perfect!" He cuts me off. "This is great! I'm gonna start drawing the plans right now! Ohh man, you have no idea how pumped I am! I-" He cuts off mid-rant when my stomach growls loudly, causing all eyes to fall on me.

…

…Oh, why me?

"S-Sorry! I, ah, didn't eat any breakfast this morning…" I say, face crimson. Hajime snorts and Souda outwardly laughs at me, making my face burn hotter. As much as I want to crawl in a hole and die at the moment, I end up staying rooted to my spot when Teruteru suddenly shouts.

"This won't do! Leaving a cute girl hungry simply won't do at all!" He crosses his arms. "Just you wait babe, I won't let you starve any longer!"

I frantically wave him off, trying to ignore the babe comment. "N-No, there's no need! I really don't need you to cook for me-"

"Nonsense!" He shouts, combing his hair back. "Cooking is what I do! I'll make you some of the tastiest dishes in the world!" He turns towards the other boys in the room. "Hajime, Souda, come with me! You're going to help me prepare a feast fit for Avril Lavigne!" Without waiting for their responses, he grabs both their sleeves and drags them into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Gundham.

I look down at the strange boy, who's still kneeling on the floor. "Ah, Gundham…?" He doesn't respond, and I lean down to take a closer look at him. His eyes are closed, and his breathing is even... "Is he… asleep?" I reach out and gently shake his shoulder, but he remains unresponsive.

I let out a small sigh. _"What should I do? I can't just leave him here, right?"_ I sit still for a few moments thinking of my options. _"Maybe I should try shaking him again…"_ Deciding that was probably my best bet, I reach for his shoulder once more… only for him to grab my arm.

My entire body freezes as he does this, but after a few more beats of silence, I figure out that he's still asleep.

"C-Crap!" I mumble. Internally panicking, I try to pull free from his grip. As soon as I start yanking though, his grip tightens slightly and suddenly my vision _whirls_.

" _W-What on earth!?"_

Without even understanding how it happened, Gundham somehow managed… to pull me into his lap. His arms are wrapped firmly around my torso, and his head is nuzzled into my hair.

"Soft… Rabbit…" He murmers, clinging to me tighter. My panic attack isn't internal anymore, and I mutely scream with tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

" _How on earth does all this stuff happen to me on the first day!?"_


	5. Sweets

I bite down on my lip to prevent any noises from coming out. Gundham doesn't seem to realize what he's doing, so I can't get mad at him, but this situation is impossible!

" _H-How does someone manage to do this in their sleep?!"_ I think frantically. _"It's not logical in the least!"_

He nuzzles my hair even more, murmuring different things about softness and various small animals. I start blushing a little, because he's surprisingly sorta cute.

I jump slightly when I hear crashing from the kitchen, but quickly calm down when no one leaves it. _"O-Oh no! They can't see us like this- there's no doubt they'll tease Gundham about it!"_

I start struggling slightly to see if I can get free, but he only tightens his grip on me. Strike one.

Next, I try unwrapping his arms from around me. His grip is way too strong however, so it's a futile effort. Strike two.

I sigh. It looks like I only have one option… and it's not gonna be pretty.

"H-Hey, Gundham?" I say in a loud voice. "C-Could you please wake up?" He stirs slightly, but doesn't wake up. I huff a little, this time determined to wake him up. I start squirming more in his grip, calling out to him again. "G-Gundham…?"

Finally, he seems to wake up a little. "…hm?" After a few beats of tense silence, I feel him stiffen behind me. "…Mortal. What is it that you think you're doing?!" His arms fly from around me and I stand up as soon as I'm free. His face is crimson, and he looks absolutely mortified. "Why did you do such a thing to me while I slumbered!?"

"I-I didn't do anything!" I say with a nervous blush on my face. "You had fallen asleep while Sonia was lecturing you and the others, and then when I tried to come over and wake you up, but you didn't do anything! So I grabbed your shoulder and tried shaking you, but you grabbed my hand, and when I tried to pull away you pulled me into your lap! I've been sitting here for the past ten minutes trying to get free without waking you up, but it didn't work because you're actually pretty strong, so I finally just decided to wake you up, and here we are!"

"A likely story mortal! Why would I do such a thing?! It's foolish to say that I, the Dark Lord, Supreme Overlord of Ice, would cling to you!"

"B-But…" I start, clutching my skirt. "I don't mean to put you out like this, but… you really did pull me into your lap. I… couldn't imagine sitting in the lap of someone I just met, you know? Or sitting in anyone's lap in general! You started mumbling things about softness and rabbits though… M-Maybe you mistook me for one in your sleep?"

I take a deep breath after my long-winded explanation and rebuttal, and look up at the strange boy. "Very well mortal. You do not appear to be lying to me…" His face is still blazing, but his look of mortification has turned into one of absolute confusion. "But… how is it that you are still alive?"

I match his confused look with one of my own. "H-Huh? You were just hugging me… you didn't suffocate me or anything-"

"No!" He suddenly says, cutting me off. "You do not understand; I have poison running through my veins! Any normal human would instantly be culled if they so much as lay a finger on me! Yet you- you remain unharmed!" He then pulls up his scarf to conceal his face slightly, seemingly to hide his blush. "You are exactly like those two mortals! Why is it that I've met so many singularities since coming to this wretched bastion of a school!?"

"I, uh…" Not sure what exactly he's talking about, I decide to push past it. "Who are the other two?"

"The Ultimate Reserve and that fiery princess!" He crosses his arms. "Those two mortals have an extremely low astral level like yourself, yet they somehow are able to get near me without falling to a plague!" He then turns away from me. "You… there is something very odd about you. Just like them… a deeply kept secret…" Without waiting for me to say anything else, he quickly exits the dining hall, leaving his ominous words behind him.

"W-What in the world…?" A deeply kept secret? How could he have possibly known something like that…?

Not really understanding anything that just happened, I shakily make my way over to one of the tables, looking out the large window to the field. I stare out mindlessly for a few moments before I lay my head down on the table.

I let out a small sigh. Gundham is obviously a little weird… but from what he just said, he's pretty perceptive too. "I… really need to be careful around him." I mumble to myself.

"Careful around who?"

…apparently not as much to myself as I would have liked.

My head shoots up from the table into the energetic brown eyes of one of my classmates. "H-Hina!?" Somehow she's managed to sit across from me without making a sound. She only laughs at my surprised expression.

"Hehe, you must have been super out of it Chihiro!" She cheers, grinning at me. "I wasn't that quiet coming over here you know!"

I scratch my cheek a little, not knowing how to act around her. "I-I suppose you could say that… was there something that you needed from me?"

She puffs out her cheeks in a pout. "Jeez, you're sounding like you don't want to talk to me…."

I wave her off frantically. "N-No, not at all! I mean, we haven't really talked before, so I was a little surprised…"

She grins at me. "But that's all the more reason for me to come up to you! You don't make friends without talking!"

I smile at this girl's bubbly attitude. "…You're right. S-So Hina, what brought you by here? Were you gonna get something to eat?"

She tilts her head. "Not exactly… I was just seeing if they had any donuts."

I look at her, confused. "Donuts?"

"Yes, _donuts_! Those fried dough thingies? How could you have not heard of them!?" She says, exasperated.

I shake my head. "N-No, I know what they are. I was wondering why you were looking for some…."

"Oh!" Hina scratches the back of her head. "Sorry. But I was looking for them because they're donuts! Who doesn't like em? They're my favorite food ya know!" She giggles slightly. "I got distracted when I saw you over here though. I was all like, "Hey, isn't that girl in my class? What was her name again? I know I had written it down three times…" But then I remembered that your name is Chihiro! So I decided to come say hi!"

Just as I'm about to respond, another loud crash comes out from the kitchen, followed by a loud scream that sounds like it came from Souda. "I, ah… think you may want to wait for a bit before you begin your search."

She cringes slightly at another crash. "I think I will! What the heck is going on in there anyway?"

I blush a little and scratch the back of my head. "I-I was talking with some acquaintances… and my stomach suddenly growled. One of them happened to have the title of Ultimate Chef and, well, he said that he couldn't let a cute girl go hungry… so he dragged the other two into the kitchen to make food."

She gasps, looking scandalized. "It's only the first day and you already have a boy cooking for you!? You sure work fast!"

"W-What!?" I say, face blazing. "No, that's not it at all! I literally just met him!"

"Oh come now Chihiro, you can be honest with me!" Hina teases, poking me in the forehead. "On the outside you're a shy small girl…" She strikes a pose. "But on the inside you're an experienced seductress!"

I stare at this girl with a dumbstruck look on my face. A _seductress_? "I-I _said_ that wasn't it! I haven't even been in a relationship yet!"

"Really, you too!?" Her hand flies to her mouth. "Er, no, I mean…"

I look at the girl in front of me with surprise. "You… haven't had a boyfriend yet?"

"O-Of course I have!" But the tone in her voice gives her away immediately, and she sighs when she realizes this. "Alright, _no_ I haven't."

I tilt my head in confusion. "But how have you not had a boyfriend? You're athletic and pretty, isn't that what most guys like?"

"Well yeah, at first!" She says crossing her arms. "But there's a lot more to me than that, and once they learn more about me… I'm just one of the guys. It sucks! They all turn tail when they see me chomping on donuts, or they all tease me when I forget things that are really simple, and sometimes they even ignore me because I'm stronger than them!" She smacks her head on the table loudly, making me jump.

"R-Really?" I start, feeling sad for the girl. "I'm sorry things are like that for you… you seem like a really nice person, Hina."

She sighs, though it's muffled slightly by her face being squished against the table. "It's real nice of you to say that Chihiro… I just wish I could find a guy willing to overlook all of my weird little quirks!"

I put a finger to my lips in thought. "Well… you've only tried to find people in normal schools right? This place is pretty… abnormal. It's basically made up of weird little quirks! Maybe you'll find someone like that here?"

She lifts her head from its place on the table. "Really!? You think I can find someone with worse quirks than me?"

"W-Well, that's not really what I meant-" She cuts me off with a cheerful squeal.

"D'aw, you're the best Chihiro! I never would have thought I'd find someone with weirder quirks than me until you pointed it out! You're so smart!" She starts ranting about what kinds of boys she might meet, and I can't help but smile at the perky girl.

" _At least she has her priorities straight… as strange as they may be."_

* * *

I spend another good forty-five minutes listening to Hina talk about different things, commenting at certain points so that she didn't think I was ignoring her. In that span, she talked about her previous school, her family, her interests (which essentially consisted of athletics, donuts, and cats), and how she and Sakura had met. Apparently it was during a sporting competition they were both competing in. Someone had accused Sakura of being on steroids, which had really pissed off Hina to no end.

"I mean seriously!" She fumes, crossing her arms. "Anyone who knew anything about _anything_ could tell that she wasn't. There's a _huge_ difference between a dedication to working out and juicing up! They should have apologized once they realized Sakura wasn't gonna beat their skulls in in a fit of roid-rage! But being the dummies they were, they just kept bugging her about it!" She takes a deep breath. "I could tell from the look on her face that what they were saying was hurting her, so I decided to go tell them off. But then they decided to pick a fight with me! So just as I was about to lay the beat down on those punks, Sakura brings over the official and gets them kicked out! She then lectured on me about 'being tolerant of those who are less civilized than us', but then still thanked me for stepping in! And we've been best friends ever since!"

I smile at the girl, noting that she probably gave me the condensed version. "That's pretty amazing you know. It's rare that you meet a friend like that."

She grins at me. "Right? You have no idea how pumped I was when I learned that she got invited to come here too! I never would have guessed we'd be in the same class though…"

I scratch my head. "W-Well, there is only one class allowed in per year… aside from the reserve class that is."

"Ehh?" She says, leaning in over the table. "Reserve class?"

"Y-Yeah…" I scratch my cheek slightly. "I didn't know about it at first, I just learned about it a few days ago by coincidence…"

* * *

I was walking around the academy to try and familiarize myself with it when I walked into someone.

" _Oooff!" My butt hits the floor hard. I quickly look up and see that I had run right into a boy, who was also sprawled out on the floor. "O-Oh my goodness, are you alright!? I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!"_

_He waves me off. "No worries, no major damage done." He starts gathering his things off the ground and I quickly bend down to help him. There's an awful lot of books and papers scattered all over, so it takes a while._

" _And… there!" I say, grabbing the last stack of papers off the floor. "Again, I'm really sorry that I ran into you! But if you don't mind me asking, what's all this stuff for?"_

_He gives me a confused look. "For class obviously! Where's all your stuff? You know it's starting soon, right?"_

_I shake my head at him. "N-No, I haven't even been given a schedule yet…" Suddenly the boy's demeanor changes completely, and he looks down at me with a sneer._

" _Oh, you're one of_ _ **them**_ _. I can't believe I assumed you were one of the hard workers like us!" He snatches the papers out of my hand and stalks off in the other direction._

_I can only stare in the direction he left in with awe. "W-What did I do to him…?"_

" _Nothing." I turn with a start to see Mr. Kirigiri looking at me. "He was just one of the more bitter reserve class students we have here…"_

" _R-Reserve class…?" I question, not quite understanding what he meant._

" _That's right." He says with a sigh. "Most people don't know this right off the bat, but there is a way to get into Hope's Peak academy without being invited… by joining the reserve course. The students there tend to resent the normal students here."_

" _B-But why?" I ask. "They still get the chance to attend Hope's Peak right? Does it matter how they get in?"_

" _In a way, yes." Mr. Kirigiri lets out a long-suffering sigh. "There are a couple key points that separate the reserve students from the normal ones. For one, they don't get to come here for free like you all; they actually have to pay a very expensive tuition fee. Another thing the reserve course students have to do is undergo constant exams to see if they're all up to par. You all have a cushion with your grades, because your talent may not be in whatever class you're in. They don't have that luxury; if their grades slip the tiniest bit, they're subject for expulsion."_

_I look at the aloof headmaster in surprise. "But… isn't that a little harsh? Especially since they're paying so much…"_

" _Don't get me wrong, I feel the same way." Mr. Kirigiri starts, cutting me off. "If I had my way it would be much more lax. They basically keep this school running, along with our sponsors' donations and government funding." He rubs his neck a little. "But the council has my hands tied. They think that if they want to run with the Ultimates without being one themselves, they need to basically eat, sleep, and breathe this academy. It's completely irrational."_

" _I-Is that why that boy had so many books and papers?" I ask, suddenly feeling sorry for him._

_He nods. "School for them actually started a week ago. They start early just in case the council thinks that one of them is fit to gain a title… though the only time that's actually happened was last year when I went behind their backs. He deserved it though." He nods to himself slightly, ghost of a smile appearing on his face. "Anyway, I have things I need to attend to. Try not to get caught alone with them from now on!"_

* * *

"…And that's what happened." I finish, twiddling my thumbs a little. "I actually met the boy he was talking about this morning; he's in the kitchen helping Teruteru cook."

"Teruteru?" Hina says tilting her head to the side. "Ohh right, the chef! But anyway, that's seriously sucky for those students… I don't really understand why they don't like us because of that though. We didn't do anything to them!"

I frown slightly. "It's because we basically get to come and live here for free… and they have to do backflips and pay a lot of money to stay here. They think we don't work hard."

"Okay, but," She starts, puffing out her cheeks a little. "It doesn't make any sense for them to hate us if they might join us, ya know? It's a little brutal to badmouth someone you might be classmates with!"

I shake my head. "I agree _that_ doesn't make sense but…" I bite my lip. "L-Like I said, my acquaintance is the only one to have ever gotten into the main class. It makes sense for them not to have much hope for that…"

She huffs a little, but relents. "I guess you're right… It's still booty that they have to do all that though!" She then slumps a little in her chair. "D'aw whatever! I don't wanna talk about that depressing stuff anymore!"

We start chatting about various other things before the kitchen door suddenly bursts open, and a large cart filled from top to bottom with all kinds of beautifully plated foods is pushed beside our table.

"O-Oh my goodness! Why did you all make so much!?" I say, looking over to the boys. Both Hajime and Souda are a complete mess, covered from head to toe in flour and various sauces.

Teruteru, who'd somehow remained clean, is the first to speak. "They say that a fastest way to a person's heart is through their stomach! Consider this meal my way of taking the express lane to yours…" He trails off and winks at me, and I can't help but blush at how forward he is. It's embarrassing!

Hajime loudly clears his throat, catching his attention. "Considering that Souda and I helped with this, I think we're carpooling there together." Hajime doesn't bat an eye at Teruteru's shocked expression, clearly used to his behavior. "Anyway Chihiro, you mind waiting a bit? Souda and I want some food too, but I'd rather be in clean clothes before I start digging in."

"Oh _hell naw_!" Teruteru shouts, undertones of an accent peeking through. "The hell you doin' thinking you can go 'n eat this pretty little lady's food? Why I oughta-"

Ignoring his outburst, I cut him off. "N-No, I don't mind at all Hajime. Please be quick though… I-I don't want all this food you three worked so hard on to go to waste." He gives me a small nod and quickly exits the dining hall with Souda in tow.

Teruteru quickly recovers from my interruption. "Why Chihiro, you're much too kind!" He combs through his hair and winks. "There isn't any need to wait however, there's plenty of food here!"

I shake my head at him. "W-Well, while that is true, I just think that eating together is more fun, you know…" I trail off when I glance over to Hina, who currently has a steady stream of drool falling out of her mouth and pooling onto the table.

Ick.

"H-Hina!" I say, handing her some napkins. "T-That's really sort of gross! What's wrong?!"

She snaps out of her trance and takes them from me. She quickly wipes her mouth off. "Hehehe, sorry Chihiro! That food just looks so good… and I only had a protein shake for breakfast…"

I quickly grab more napkins and lay them on top of the drool puddle. "W-Well, we're gonna eat when Hajime and Souda get back… do you want to join us?"

"Of course she will!" Teruteru interjects, smoothly sliding into the seat next to her. "Like you said, there's plenty of food…" He grabs a napkin and dabs at the remaining drool around her mouth. "Whaddya say, babe?"

She looks like she's about to agree, but she suddenly pops up. "I-I can't right now!" She pumps her fist in the air. "I need to find donuts! They have to have some here, and I'm gonna take a bunch of them back to my room so Sakura can't bust me!"

Teruteru looks surprised for a second, but his suave demeanor is quickly put back in place. "Oho, it's donuts you want then? If you join us, I'd be more than happy to make you some…" His nose starts bleeding a little. "Cream filled are my specialty…"

My face immediately heats up, but Hina only grins. I guess the innuendo flew completely over her head. "Then yes yes, double yes! Oh, I never even got your name though!"

As they introduce themselves, I'm left wondering if Teruteru is a pervert. " _If that look Hajime sent me earlier is any indication… then I think maybe… no, definitely! He's definitely a legitimate pervert!"_

"Well then, its a pleasure to meet you Hina… I do hope that you and I get along _swimmingly_." He winks at her, and she giggles at his stupid pun, clearly not understanding just how bad it was.

_Ick._

Feeling decidedly uncomfortable, I decide to go and look for Hajime and Souda. They thankfully don't seem to notice when I slip away, and I take a deep breath to try and will my blush away for what seems like the hundredth time today.

" _Are first days always like this here…?"_ I think with a sigh. I've met so many crazy people… and some of these situations I've been in seem a little too insane. _"At least I don't have to worry about anything crazier happening…"_

At that very moment, I see a flash of pink and yellow dart past me, with Hajime coming right after it.

"Wait, Souda…!" He yells after the blur, clearly panicked. "Don't do anything stupid dammit…!"

"W-Wait, Hajime!" I say, pausing for a second to chastise myself over the jinx. "W-What's going on?"

"I don't really know myself…" He says hurriedly. "But while I was waiting for Souda to get changed, he suddenly launched out of his room, screaming something about something getting wrecked… I can't say I'm not concerned."

"W-Well then, what are we waiting for?" I say with a huff. "Lets go see if he's alright!"

He looks surprised for a second, but then nods. "Alright then, let's get going!" With those words, we dash out of the dorm area, following the sound of Souda's wails.

* * *

We screech to a halt when we locate the source of his wailing; the garage. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it's just as out of place as the bath house! Suddenly, his screaming cuts off with a strangled groan.

I turn to Hajime. "W-What do you think made him stop…?"

"Only one way to find out…" He says, loosening his tie slightly.

Pausing for only a second, we walk into the enormous space, clearly meant for constructing and repairing various forms of machinery. It only takes a minute to spot Souda who's crumpled on the floor in front of another familiar face.

"M-Mondo…?" I say, looking at my classmate.

He looks up from the writhing boy when he hears me. "Yo, Chihiro! Whaddya doing here?"

"Ah, well…" I scratch my cheek a little. "H-Hajime and I came to see what Souda was freaking out over."

He raises an eyebrow. "How do you know him…?" He then shakes his head. "Whatever. I just called him here 'cause some fucker thought it would be funny to mess with my hog." He growls slightly and then points to a motorcycle over in the corner. "Kazuichi here is my mechanic; I just shot him a quick text asking if he could take a look at it, but then he comes in here fucking screaming. He wouldn't shut up long enough for me to tell him what was wrong with it… so I sorta punched him in the gut."

"Are you shitting me!?" Souda screeches, managing to stand. "You didn't punch me, you just _liquefied_ my insides!"

Mondo looks a little sheepish at this. "Yeah… sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to hit ya so hard."

"Awh man, whatever!" He straightens out his beanie. "So, what's the issue with it?" I expected him to be madder, but he recovered pretty quickly. Is he used to this kind of thing...?

"S'nothing too bad, some dipshit just keyed it and slashed the front tire." He sneers. "If I knew who did it, I'd kick their ass so bad…"

"Dude, where the hell did you leave it!?" Souda scolds, yelling at the biker. He immediately starts to cower though. "I-I mean, did you not hide it like you usually do…?"

Mondo ignores his comment, more focused on his bike. "It was parked in front of the damn school. I had to move in, so I didn't think too much of it…" He grimaces, clearly angry with himself. "Fuck, this is a pretty nice place, so I didn't think there'd be anyone stupid enough to jus' go and do that shit."

Souda sighs, crouching near the bike and examining the damage. "Look… from now on just keep it in here, alright? Only students can get in, and I sorta doubt anyone in here is dumb enough to mess with your bike." He then stands and stretches, cracking his neck slightly. "I'll fix it up as soon as I'm done eating. Sound good?"

I jump slightly, just now remembering the food. "Oh my goodness! W-We've got to get back! All that food you guys worked on will go to waste!" Just as I'm about to turn to leave, I look over at the gang leader. "A-Actually… do you want to come with us? There's really too much for just five people, and I'm certain Teruteru wouldn't mind…"

Hajime turns to me, confused. "Five?"

"Ah, yeah." I turn to him with a slight flush on my cheeks. "You may not have noticed her because you wanted to get changed, but one of my classmates was talking with me while you were cooking. Teruteru convinced her to eat with us…"

He looks concerned at my words. "You left them alone…?"

"I-I had to!" I say, slightly panicked. "Teruteru he- He kept on saying all sorts of inappropriate things! But Hina didn't seem to even get what he was saying so… I thought it would be okay."

"We gotta go." Souda and Hajime say at the same time, startling me. Souda continues from there. "Calling Teruteru a pervert is a complete understatement! I hope your friend is really as ignorant as you thought she was, 'cause otherwise Teruteru may have gotten killed by now! The guy has no filter!" Saying that, they both dash out of the garage.

"I-Is that true!?" I say, feeling ashamed. "I-I thought he was a pervert, but I didn't think it was that bad!" I turn to Mondo. "H-Hey, you can come if you want to, but I've gotta go!"

He just gives me a quick nod. "Let's get going then girlie!" He grins at me. "Don't worry, if he did anything bad to that chick… I'll beat him into the fucking ground!" His grin suddenly turns feral, and he dashes out of the garage.

"Wait, weren't they worried about _his_ well-being?!" I quickly follow after. _"I-Is that really okay!?"_

* * *

Thankfully, the scene we find once we arrive in the dining hall isn't a bad one… well, as bad as we had thought. Apparently Teruteru had decided to try and help Hina learn how to make her own donuts, which ended in exploding balls of... something. He was cleaning up the remnants just as we returned.

"Oh, hello again Chihiro!" He says, winking at me. "So the angel has finally returned!" I wave at him slightly, not quite comfortable with his flirting. Hina waves at me from her seat at the table.

"I don't know any of your names besides Chihiro, so hi!" She says, grinning over at us. I look at her in confusion.

"U-Uhm, Hina? Mondo is in our class…" I say, pointing over to the tall boy.

"I know that!" She says, puffing out her cheeks. "I just don't know his name!" I fight the urge to groan.

Hajime only laughs. "Hey Souda, doesn't that kind of remind you of someone?"

Souda only thinks about it for a moment before snapping his fingers. "That's it! She's exactly like Akane! … Except for the fact that she doesn't seem to be crazy violent."

"Akane?" I ask, tilting my head.

"Oh, Akane Owari. She's in our class." Hajime explains, glancing over at Hina. "She's pretty athletic like your friend appears to be… and she's terrible at remembering names. For the first month my name switched between Henry, Hubert, Hector, and even _Harriet_ one time!"

Souda snorts. "I think those are the only two things they have in common! Akane acts more like a wild animal than a person, always picking fights with the strongest person she sees and stuffing her face with food whenever it's available. She's _nuts_!"

I gulp slightly at their description. She sounds like a terrifying person.

Mondo snorts. "Awh whatever, who cares about what's-her-nuts? I'm freakin' starving, and that food looks pretty tasty!"

I smile up at him. "W-We might as well start eating now then! It would be a shame for it to get any colder!"

And so the six of us share one of the best meals of my entire life. Not just because of the food, which was delicious, but because of the people there. It was extremely rowdy, with lots of laughing and food throwing. The conversation topics just kept coming and coming, and there wasn't a single dull moment the entire time! It was… the most fun I've had in a very long time.

By the time we finished, it was well past eight. I was extremely confused as to where all the time went, but I didn't mind. After helping Teruteru with the cleanup, which some people were less than happy about, I parted ways with everyone and went to my room.

I flop down on my bed with a content smile on my face. _"While there were some bumps along the way, today was pretty good… better than I had expected my entire time here to go!"_ I sigh a little bit. _"I met so many people today that I'm not sure what to do with myself! I can't believe I handled it so well…"_

I was expecting myself to totally mess up any introductions I had to do, but… the sudden ways I met with people these past few days didn't leave me with any _room_ to clam up. In a way, I'm really relieved.

After a while of just sitting on my bed, I decide to shower and go to bed early. After I throw on a nightie, I crawl under my covers and close my eyes.

When I came to this school, I hadn't expected so many people to talk to me. I hadn't imagined all the kinds of things that would happen to me. But most of all… I hadn't thought that I'd be enjoying myself this much.

"… _And it was only the first day."_


	6. Flies

I manage to crack my eyes open after a while of laying around half awake. I had spent the entire day yesterday debugging a hospital management system designed remotely alert nurses and doctors when a paitent's vital signs change... It's a relatively simple program, but fixing without actual people to test it on took longer than I would have liked. Thankfully they told me that it was better, but I was up until the wee hours of the morning waiting for confirmation.

I glance at the clock, noting that it's ten in the morning. _"At least it's Sunday..."_ I think with a sigh. Deciding not to spend the entire day in my room, I force myself out of bed. I hazily make my way to the bathroom and take a quick shower, which somehow doesn't manage to wake me up at all.

I quickly get dressed in my usual outfit and throw on shoes, wanting to get some coffee to help shake off my drowsiness. I nearly forget to lock the door as I leave, having to track my way back down the hall to fix it. It's not that I think someone is going to steal from me, but… it's better to be safe than sorry.

I manage to make my way over to the dining hall, which is relatively full considering the time of day. Apparently a lot of people here aren't exactly early risers.

Not even stopping to see if any of my acquaintances are present, I make a b-line for the kitchen. I stop in front of one of the many coffee-producing machines and survey the many different types of coffee it can make. I decide to go for a peppermint mocha espresso, thinking it'll help jolt my brain to a state of clarity. I stick the disc in the coffee maker and put a mug in the proper spot before hitting the button and watching it come to life.

Grabbing a packet of sweetener and a bottle of creamer out of the fridge, I make my way back over to the machine… only to see someone crouching in front of it.

There's a girl with her hair tied into two cones on top of her head with various streaks of color running through it. She's wearing a sailor uniform and mismatched thigh-high stockings, and is basically covered in piercings. She's currently looking at the machine in awe as it pours out my drink, drool dripping from her mouth slightly.

"A-Ahm…" I say, looking down at the strange girl. "What are you-"

She cuts me off. "Shhhh!" She whispers, not looking at me. "Ibuki is waiting! Didn't you know that coffee smells the best when it just gets done brewing!?" Suddenly the machine cuts off, and the girl takes a huge whiff of my drink. "Ahhhh! Yep, definitely the best!" She cheers, standing up from her spot.

"O-Okay then…?" I say, putting my stuff down. "Did you want a cup?"

She turns to me, and gapes slightly. "Gaspppp! A wild cutie has appeared! Ibuki uses hug!" She suddenly flies toward me and scoops me up into a bear hug.

"W-Wait, why-!?" I start, but she immediately cuts me off again.

"It's super effective!" She screeches, twirling me around. "Ibuki has captured a wild cutie! Does she nickname it?!" She abruptly stops spinning and furrows her brow in thought. "Yes! The wild cutie is now nicknamed… Eevee!"

"Why would you nickname a Pokémon with a species' name!?" I say, trying to process what's happening. "N-No, wait, more importantly… c-could you please let me down?"

But the spastic girl doesn't listen. "C'mon Eevee, you've gotta come meet Ibuki's friends! They'll totally be jealous of Ibuki's new party member!" Without even waiting for my reply, she puts me down and snatches my wrist, dragging me out to the dining hall.

She pulls me over to a table where a bunch of girls are sitting and talking happily over breakfast. None of them seem to pay any attention to her arrival until she yells out.

"Guys, guys! Check out Ibuki's new party member! Her name is Eevee!" She makes a "ta-da" sort of motion toward me, and I can feel my face flush under the sudden gazes of all the girls. I start to feel slightly more comfortable when I see a familiar face in the crowd.

"Oh, good morning Chihiro!" Sonia says, smiling over at me. "I was unaware you and Ibuki knew each other."

"What's a Chihiro?" Ibuki asks, tilting her head in thought.

"M-Me." I say, looking over at her. "That's my name… not Eevee."

She looks shocked. "You can talk!?"

"I could this whole time…!" I say, face flushed in embarrassment. "You just started pulling me around so suddenly! I tried to talk to you, b-but you weren't listening at all…"

Ibuki's expression slips from surprised to depressed in a grand total of two seconds. "Ibuki is so deeply sorry! She got your name completely wrong! If this were a song it would be called "I Misspelled That Name So Bad It Became A Number!" A-blub-blub-blub-blub!" Suddenly the girl starts foaming at the mouth, and I can only gape at her strange behavior.

I frantically look to the other girls present, but they're only watching the scene like it's a common occurrence! I turn back to Ibuki and pat her on the back slightly. "It's fine… y-you know better now, right? No harm done."

Just as quickly as it started, the foam stops coming from her mouth. She perks up instantly and pulls me into a one-armed hug. "Hey, ya know, you're pretty chill! Plus… you smell good! Why don't you come and join us Eeve- Er, Chihiro?"

I'm about to decline, because I _really_ want that coffee, but Sonia speaks up before I can. "Oh, what a wonderful idea Ibuki! Come over here Chihiro, please do sit by me!" Even though it was more of a request, the way she said it made it sound much more like a command. With a sigh, I reserve myself to my coffee-less fate and plop down in between Sonia and a girl with silver hair and glasses.

Completely ignorant to my plight, she beams down at me. "It's really nice to see you! I'm so happy you decided to join us!"

A childish looking girl with twin tails snorts. "Just great, another loser for me to deal with!" She then grins maliciously over to a girl with choppy hair. "Of course, no one can top Mikan when it comes to being disgusting."

"Hyaaa!" The girl squeals, covering her head. "I-I'm so sorry for being disgusting! I'll leave now, I promise!" She gets up to leave, but a girl with red hair and freckles stops her.

"Mikan, please sit down." She says, smiling over at the girl. "We've been over this already, you're not disgusting, no matter how many times Hiyoko says it. You should know that's just how she is by now."

The girl, Mikan, nods slightly. "I-I know… I'm sorry I forgot!" She wipes tears from her eyes. "I'll let you draw on my arms next time!"

The red-head simply shakes her head and sighs. The gray haired girl next to me takes this opportunity to comment. "I'd advise against pressing the issue further Mahiru. You know how she is."

I can't help but feel a little out of place here. It's clear that all of these girls are good friends with each other… and I'm just left sitting awkwardly and twiddling my thumbs.

Sonia seems to notice my discomfort, and immediately frowns. "Oh my goodness, I completely forgot to introduce you to everyone!" She then stands from her seat, commanding all attention. Even the girl who had been stuffing her face the entire time had paused to look at the princess.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Chihiro Fujisaki!" She says, gesturing to me. "She just started here in the class below us!" I give a small wave, nervous at being put on the spot like that. "Chihiro, I'd like you to meet the girls of the class of 77… sans one!" She cheers, gesturing to everyone at the table.

"It's nice to meet you all." I say, blushing slightly. "Like she said, my name's Chihiro… Ultimate Programmer. I-I hope that we can all get along."

They all go through and introduce themselves to me one-by-one, but I really only catch their names because of how tired I am. Once it's over with, they all resume with their conversations respectively, or stuffing their face like Akane.

I was surprised to find out during her introduction that she and Hina really were similar. They had similar looks, with chocolate brown hair and tanned skin, and extremely athletic tendencies. I had thought Hajime was exaggerating when he said she was terrible names but… she has called me Chacha with such confidence that I had to try really hard not to laugh.

As the conversation drones on, I find myself starting to doze off. I have to fight to keep my head up as Hiyoko complains about "some dumbass reserve course whore," and just as I'm certain I'm about to go down for the count, I feel a tap on my shoulder.

The silverette, whose name I learned to be Peko, is holding a cup of coffee out to me. "You seem like you need this more than I do." She says with a neutral expression. I look at her in surprise for a second, but I then smile slightly and gratefully accept the cup.

"T-Thank you so much, Peko." I say, taking a sip. It doesn't have any creamer, so it's a little bitter, but it gives me life all the same. I glance up to see her staring at me with a strange sort of expression on her face. "U-Uhm, is there something wrong…?"

She immediately snaps to attention. "A-Ah, no, nothing!" She says hurriedly, waving me off. She remains silent for a while longer before she decides to speak to me again. "If you do not mind me asking, do you… have any pets?"

I tilt my head at her in confusion. "Well, no… why?"

"You just seem like the type who would. I think a bunny would suit you." Her expression suddenly shifts into something I can't quite place. "O-Or maybe a cute little mouse… or a fluffy bird."

I shoot the girl a confused look. "It's funny that you should mention that…" I say, scratching the back of my head. "Gundham had said something similar to me."

" _Even though it was in his sleep."_ I add internally.

"I see, so you've met him as well." She nods, but then frowns. "I had asked him what kind of animal would suit me, but…" She starts to glare at the table. "He told me that no creature would want to associate with someone who has a "malevolent aura" like me."

She looks like she's pouting, but it's a little hard to tell for certain. "O-Oh, I see…" I start, nodding slightly. "You're one of those people who likes animals, but can't seem to get any to like them."

"Unfortunately, you're completely right." She says with a huff. "I just want to be able to… pet them." Her face shifts into a slightly unsettling smile. "Pet them to my heart's content… nuzzle in their soft fur…"

Suddenly I can't help but feel scared looking at the girl. _"Maybe it's for the best that no animals go near her…"_ The way she's eyeing me makes me a little uncomfortable, and before I can change the subject, she speaks up again.

"This may seem like a strange request, but…" She fidgets slightly, lifting her hand up. "M-May I… pet you?"

I look at her, completely speechless. "Eh…?"

"It's just that… you look so small and soft. Like a little baby squirrel." She says, hand twitching closer to my head. "I… just want one little touch. To see if you're as soft as one." By now we've gotten the entire table's attention, but she doesn't seem to notice. "Just one little…"

Suddenly, a small-looking boy is standing next to her. "Peko! What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He has two lines shaved into the side of his head, and a pretty cute face. The look on it right now isn't cute though, as he's scowling at the strange silverette.

As soon as she realizes his presence, her hand flies away from my head. "Young Master! I-I'm sorry you had to see that, I-"

He sighs, cutting her off. "I already know about your damn obsession with animals. That's not the point here!" He glances to me, but then quickly cuts back to her. "What the hell do you think you're doing to someone I know for a fact that you just met!? You don't just _pet_ people Peko, she's not a "little baby squirrel!" And what did I tell you about calling me that!?"

"I'm sorry Young Mas-" She quickly corrects herself. "Fuyuhiko. But her hair… looks so fluffy. Like a poofy little rabbit… a-and I…" She trails off as he rolls his eyes at her.

The boy, Fuyuhiko, turns to me with a sigh. "I'm really sorry about her behavior. She's not usually so fucking weird, but she just can't help herself when it comes to cute things."

Hiyoko takes this opportunity to snort loudly. "Hah! You think the little dweeb is cute!"

He replies with a snort of his own. "Next to you, anything would be fucking adorable. Even Teruteru's ass." She squeals in indignation at his comment, and he smirks. "Anyway, c'mon Peko. We've gotta go back to the house to take care of a few things. That's the whole reason I came here in the first fucking place."

She quickly stands at his command, but falters and turns back to me. "I'm truly sorry for my behavior… if you'll excuse me." She then turns to leave with him without another word.

I stare at the door completely dumbstruck. _"My day just started, but I've already ran into some impossible people…!"_ I don't have much time to dwell on it however, as Hiyoko starts to wail loudly.

"Waaaahhhh…! Mahiru, that little yakuza bitch said Teruteru's ass was cuter than me! It's not right? It's definitely not…!" As Mahiru tries to console the wailing girl, I turn to Sonia.

"Y-Yakuza…?" I ask, voice wavering. "He's yakuza!?"

She simply smiles and nods. "Oh yes. His full name is Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu. He's the next in line to lead the Kuzuryuu clan! Most people wouldn't guess because of his cute face, but you could say that he's… quite bad ass!"

"R-Right…" I nod, internally wincing at the amount of dangerous people who attend this school. "So does that mean that Peko…?"

She nods again. "You guessed correctly! She's his right hand! She became the Ultimate Swordswoman through her training to protect Fuyuhiko!" Sonia huffs in excitement a little. "Isn't it romantic?! It's just like a drama; two childhood friends raised from birth, one destined to serve the other… but secretly, they both pine after each other! I would most definitely purchase all three seasons!"

" _Three seasons!?_ " I quickly shake that thought off, because that's definitely not what's important. "W-Wait… so do they really?"

She shakes her head with a smile. "I do not think so! But I definitely…" She pauses and tilts her head in thought, trying to find her words. She then huffs with a smile. "Ah yes, I definitely ship them!"

I shake my head with a smile, quickly changing the subject. "So ah, I take it you like dramas?"

"Oh yes, they're wonderful!" Her eyes seem to sparkle at this. "They are quite the hot commodity in Novoselic, and the cartoons are quite popular as well! It is the whole reason I wanted to attend school here in the first place! Your culture is just so enchanting…"

"D-Do you have any favorites?" I ask tilting my head to the side.

"Oh goodness, it's impossible for me to pick!" She says, waving me off. "All of them are just so charming in their own way, I could never decide!" She then turns to me with curious eyes. "Oh Chihiro, which dramas do you like? I feel like you'd be fond of the ones that are more light-hearted, correct?"

I shake my head at her. "A-Actually, I've never really watched dramas. I like a few cartoons though-"

"That is absolutely unacceptable!" She yells, crossing her arms. "How is it that you do not enjoy them? They are a staple of entertainment! Could it be that you did not have anyone to teach you about their wonders…?" Sonia deflates slightly. "Of course, that must be it! Worry not Chihiro, I shall educate you! We will have a marathon of some of the best dramas Japan has to offer! Come!" She grabs my wrist and stands, about to drag me away. Thankfully, someone appears, catching her attention.

My eyes widen when I see who it is.

"Oh Chiaki!" Sonia cheers. "You overslept, we were just finishing up breakfast! I was wondering what took you so long!"

Standing in the doorway is a girl with pinkish hair and eyes that I know all too well. She looks half-asleep, but perks up when she lays eyes on me.

"Oh, hello Fath-" I rush over and cover her mouth, and quickly drag her out of the dining hall, leaving everyone staring our way in surprise. Once we're out of ear shot, I round on her.

"C-Chiaki! Is it… is it really you!?" I whisper harshly, tears pricking out of the corners of my eyes. I look directly into her eyes, and she just smiles at me like she had before. "W-What… where on earth have you been…?"

She doesn't answer me right off the bat. Instead, she moves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me. After a moment, she tilts her head. "I wasn't expecting you to be shorter than me. But then again, I never saw how tall you were from the computer… I think. Maybe I just forgot?" She shakes her head. "Anyway, I'm really happy to be seeing you after so long, Father."

I shake my head and pull her into a hug. I can't seem to find the right words to say to this girl; my creation.

Chiaki Nanami is an AI I had developed for a company who was experimenting to see if a conscious entity was able to be transplanted into another vessel; in this case, an artificial intelligence program into a human body. When they had first contracted me, they weren't clear with their purpose... they had just wanted and AI that would be able to function as a normal person. It wasn't until later, when she was actually finished, that they told me their true intentions.

* * *

_I glare hard at the overweight business man on the other end of the video call. "Y-You can't just take someone's body to implant an AI into! That must be illegal! Not to mention that kind of thing should only be possible in movies...!"_

" _Oh, it is." He says flatly. "Which is why the body has been cultivated on its own for the past fifteen years. It's just an empty vessel; fully functional, but with no will of its own." I look off to the side at the pictures of a sleeping girl around my age, if not a little older. "You see, we've even modified her to look like that AI you had made! There's nothing wrong about it." He straightens out his collar a little. "In regards to your movie remark… there are plenty of technological advancements that are being made on a daily basis. This is no different. Now, if you would, please send over the AI. It's no skin off your nose if it doesn't work, no harm done!"_

" _O-Of course there's harm done!" I near shriek. "Not only are you tampering with human bodies, but you're completely disregarding her well-being! What exactly happens to her if this doesn't work? And what if it does? W-What happens to her then!?"_

" _If it doesn't work, she gets scrapped." He snorts, undeterred. "But if it does, we'll observe her, see if it has and adverse effects. Imagine the possibilities this can unlock! People could change bodies like they do clothing! If one is ruined, simply switch to another… countless lives can be saved! Not to mention…" He gets a creepy grin on his face. "People can make themselves beautiful… for a measly sum, of course."_

_I manage to sneer at him. "W-Well, like it or not, I'm pulling out of this project! It's inhumane!"_

_He glares at me, making me flinch. "Need I remind you, you have a contract to uphold! If you peel out of it now, consider your programming career finished!" He then clicks off the call, smug grin on his face._

_I feel tears pricking at the corner of my eyes as my two creations appear on-screen. "Master?" Alter Ego ventures, frowning at me. "You're not going to send her away, right?"_

_I shake my head. "N-No… I could never!" I feel tears tracking down my face. "You and Chiaki are all I have… I could never do something that awful to either of you!"_

_Chiaki looks up at me, confused. "Hey, would it really be so bad? If it works, Alter Ego and I can be people too."_

_I shake my head at her. "No… you'd be a test subject. Y-You'd be under constant supervision with no contact from anyone… I'd probably never see you again. That's only if it works though… if it doesn't, they'll just delete you! You heard what he said…"_

_She peers up at me with a frown. "But you'll be in trouble if I don't go right?"_

_Once again, I shake my head. "M-Maybe… but I'm certain I could find a good lawyer… dad would probably help too."_

_She looks up at me with a defiant expression for a second before she disappears. I frantically turn to Alter Ego. "W-What's she doing!?"_

_Looking panicked, he disappears for a second before appearing in front of me again, tears in his eyes. "She's… she's emailing herself to the company, Master! I tried to stop her, but she set up a bunch of programs to stall me!"_

_I quickly track her down on the hard-drive, and see that Alter Ego wasn't kidding about her setting up road blocks for him. I quickly type in the commands to disperse the programs with ease, only to see that her file is almost all the way transferred. She smiles up at me, and I can't help but to burst out into tears._

" _Chiaki… why would you do that!? You won't be able to act freely anymore!" I furiously wipe tears away from my eyes as she simply shakes her head._

" _Maybe not, but… I don't want your life to be ruined because something I had control over." Her body starts to fade from the screen from her feet up. "Please don't be sad. I'll be sure to come back to you, no matter what." I can only open and close my mouth mutely, unable to force words out through my tears. "If it doesn't work, I'll leave as quickly as I can… and if it does, I'll still come back to you both. You and brother are my family after all… and that's… important to me." She closes her eyes with a content smile on her face as she fades off the screen, leaving a single text box in her wake._

" _Goodbye... Father."_

* * *

For the next few days after that I hadn't been able to sleep, deeply concerned for her well-being. It wasn't until I received an e-mail from the company that I had started to breathe easy again, saying that the project was a success. A month later however, they had contacted me again saying that she had disappeared without a trace, and the worry had come back in full force.

After that, I hadn't received any more messages. I later saw on the news that the company had been shut down for human experimentation, not just with what they did with her, but for tampering with people's brains as well. I was expecting them to come for me, but when I had looked into it... the contract I had signed with them had been destroyed, as well as any record of us ever being affiliated. I had suspected that Chiaki had something to do with it, but… I didn't know how I was supposed to find her.

After a while I had come to believe she hadn't been able to make it on her own… but to find out after all this time she actually was alright! I… I can't stop the tears from spilling out.

"Hey, Father, why are you crying? I thought you'd be happy to see me?" She says, hugging me back. I wipe away the tears and scowl up at her, pulling away.

"I am! I'm so happy that you're alright, but… what happened? I-It's been two years… you didn't try to contact me at all! I thought for certain that you had died!" I can't help but to start sobbing, and she frowns.

"I... tried to." Chiaki wipes away some of my tears. "When I got away from those people… I didn't know what to do. I had forgotten what your IP address was, so I couldn't look up where you lived at all, and I basically didn't exist. I spent a lot of time that first year just wandering around, sleeping and eating where I could. I started participating in video game contests for money, and after so long Mr. Kirigiri tracked me down and asked me to come here because of how good I am at them."

"Okay, but…" I start, stifling a hiccup. "That doesn't really make any sense. How can you be enrolled here if you aren't a citizen?"

She smiles at me, handing me a tissue. "Mr. Kirigiri helped me with that… I told him about where I came from. He didn't believe me at first, but when he did his research and saw what that company got shut down for, he took me seriously. At first... I wanted him to help me find you, so that I could get back to you and brother, but he convinced me that if I was going to function as a real person that I would really need to interact with people in a normal environment. It's actually helped a lot, no one ever guessed-"

"W-Wait!" I say, looking up at her. "Then the reason I got invited here…"

"Was because I asked him to bring you here. You're really talented, so he didn't really have any issue with it, and was glad to send you one." She puffs out her cheeks in a pout. "I wanted him to do it sooner, but the class was already pretty much full, and the council made him wait to extend the invitation until after the school year ended."

I can't help but to look at her in shock… but then I reach up and flick her in the nose. "You… you're so stupid!" I say, looking up at her through tears. "You could have still contacted me! It wouldn't of been hard for you to have asked Mr. Kirigiri for my e-mail! I-I was so worried… I had completely given up on seeing you again!" I pull her into a hug again, burying my face in her shoulder. "Why didn't Mr. Kirigiri say anything to me…?"

"Oh, I asked him not to." She says simply. "I wanted to come and see you for myself. Hey hey, is brother here too?" She asks, tilting her head.

" _I'm glad she's as laid back as ever… but still!"_ I think with a sigh. _"She could stand to be a little more apologetic…"_ Deciding to save my brooding for later, I wipe the last of my tears away and smile up at her, just happy that by some convenient miracle I was able to meet with her again. "Of course I did. You really think I would just leave him behind?"

Chiaki smiles and shakes her head. "No. I knew you would… probably." Suddenly, she pulls me into a hug without prompting. "I'm happy that I can finally hug you Father. You're very warm…" I wrap my arms around her in return, happy to hear her heartbeat. Suddenly, something occurs to me and I pull away.

"A-Ah, Chiaki! You can't call me father around people!" I lower my voice to a whisper. "No one knows about me here! You still remember what I told you about me, right?"

She nods. "I do… "She says with a frown. "I never understood why you don't tell people, but I promise I'll respect your wishes. What should I call you instead?"

I sigh, happy that she understands enough to keep quiet. "J-Just call me Chihiro like everyone else… and when you talk about me, say "she" instead of "he," alright?"

She nods a little, and her mouth twitches into a smile. "Okay… Chihiro." She mumbles it a few times under her breath, seemingly practicing. "…Alright! I think I can do this Chihiro… maybe!"

I fight the urge to smack my head into a wall at her wishy-washy answer. "A-Anyway, if anyone asks… you and I are cousins, alright?" She nods mutely. "Okay… w-we should probably get back in there. I-I don't think we can leave things alone like that…"

She nods again and grabs my wrist, dragging me back to the dining hall. "Everyone!" She cheers, holding up my arm. "This is my cousin Chihiro… We haven't seen each other in two years, so we had to go catch up! I'm sorry for our abrupt exit!"

I want to cry at how painfully obvious she's being. " _No one's gonna buy it!"_ The way she's acting is totally conspicuous, and-

"Makes sense that the two nerds would be related." Hiyoko laughs, pointing at us. "I bet you you're as much of a weirdo as Chiaki! Do you fall asleep in the middle of a sentence like she does?"

"Hiyoko!" Sonia chides, frowning at her. "Chiaki may do that on occasion, but that does not mean that it's a family trait! Try to be more considerate!"

As they start bickering, I can't help but sigh. On one hand I'm completely shocked that actually worked, but at the same time… she's been with these people for a while. Maybe she knew it would…? I glance up at her to see that she had actually fallen asleep… while standing.

" _Huh…"_ I think, smiling at her. _"I guess she has changed since I knew her… I'm happy that she's been able to grow on her own."_ Looking at her, I can't help but yawn. Seeing her sleeping so soundly makes me want to sleep as well.

I tap her shoulder, startling her awake. "Yes Fa- Chihiro?" She says with a yawn.

"I'm going to go back to my room for a while, alright?" I say, handing her a handkerchief to wipe away the drool. "I'd like to talk to you later about everything that's happened though… are you free?"

She nods slightly after screwing her face in thought. "That's fine…" Suddenly she starts huffing in excitement. "Hey hey, can it be a sleepover? People talk a lot during those, and they don't actually sleep that much, did you know that?! So can we?"

I can't help but giggle at her excitement. "Sure but… I can't promise that it'll be that much fun."

She smiles, smacking her chest. "Don't worry! I'll teach you all about them!"

I nod, not wanting to burst her bubble. "I look forward to it. I'll see you later Chiaki!" She waves goodbye and promptly falls asleep, making me shake my head as I walk off to take a short nap in my room.


	7. Princess

I wake up early Monday morning to Chiaki sleeping soundly next to me. After my nap, I managed to track her down. We ended up spending the majority of the day together, simply catching up on her life since we separated. After all the talking we'd done, I didn't really think that the sleepover was still necessary, but… she insisted.

She was right in saying that sleeping wasn't really a huge part of a sleepover; she had kept me up until 3 a.m. just doing whatever came to her mind. Video games, her doing my hair because she wanted to, "gossiping" that actually just turned out to be her talking about her friends… everything.

"Hmmph… Father?" She says with a mumble. "Why are you up so early…?"

"I think you meant Chihiro?" I say, poking her in the forehead. "And I'm up because we have school. You really need to get up and get yourself ready."

She groggily feels around the floor for her phone, clicking the screen on when she finds it. "It's only seven in the morning…?"

I laugh, popping out of bed. "Classes start at eight, Chiaki. When do you usually get up?"

She sits up, tilting her head to the side in thought. "I usually get up around seven-fifty… I think."

I nearly trip over something in the dark as she says this. "But then you only have ten minutes to get ready and go to class!"

"It's not so bad." She says with a yawn. "I just get dressed and go. I take showers at night."

"That's not the issue Chiaki!" I say, looking at her in worry. "Do you not eat breakfast?"

She doesn't answer, instead looking at me curiously. "Hey hey, is this… is this what everyone calls a troublesome parent?" She then puffs out her cheeks. "Jeez Dad, I can take care of myself!" Her expression shifts back to curiosity. "That's how you say it, right?"

"I… what?" I give her a dubious look.

"Everyone who has a parent sometimes talks to them or about them like that." She says with a small smile. "I just wanted to try it."

I shake my head at the former AI, sighing at her observation. "I guess that's fine, but you've gotta remember…" I grab her shoulders and look her dead in the eye. "You have to call me _Chihiro_. No one knows I made you, and no one knows that I'm a boy. We'd both be in trouble if you let it slip!"

She puffs out her cheeks again. "I know… I'll be good. I think."

I huff slightly. "Back to the topic though, you _are_ eating… right?"

"Yes." She says, smiling softly. "My friends know I don't normally eat in the mornings. They take turns bringing me snacks." She tilts her head slightly. "But Hiyoko isn't allowed to anymore, because she fed me dried glue once."

I simply stare at her for a moment. _"I don't know whether to be more upset at the fact that Hiyoko was mean enough to give her glue to eat… or the fact that she actually ate it."_ I quickly shake my head.

"Well, as long as you're eating…" I laugh slightly, smiling at her. "You know, you're making me feel like a real parent… it's a little scary."

She smiles back. "Hey hey, you _are_ my parent… in a way." She tilts her head. "Thinking about it, you treated brother and I the same way when we were in the computer… why's it different now?"

"Because you're a _person_ now. Not to mention one who's technically older than me!" I yawn, stretching and getting up from my place on the bed. "You get how this is weird, right?"

"…" She shakes her head after a moment of thought. "Nope. I really don't."

I smile and shake my head. "It's probably something only I can get, really… I don't think anyone's ever really been in this kind of situation before if I'm being honest." I gather up my clothes for the day and head to the bathroom for a quick shower. "Oh, hey-" I say, turning back to her. "Do you want me to wake you up again before I leave?"

I glance back when she doesn't respond and see that she's already fallen back asleep. I giggle. _"I guess this is just a quirk of hers… I remember she'd sometimes be a little unresponsive when she was an AI. Is this how it transferred to her being a person?"_ I shake those thoughts off, deciding that dwelling on it would only give me a headache. I quickly head into the bathroom to shower and dress.

By the time I get back however, Chiaki is already gone. "I guess she went back to her room…?" I muse, scanning my now-empty room. I quickly pull on some knee-high socks and shoes, before turning to gather my laptop and cord from their place on the desk. As I slip my essentials for class in my bag, I hear the buzzer go off to my door.

I rush over to the door and open it. "Oh Chiaki, did you forget-" I cut myself at who I see standing there. "Mukuro and… J-Junko?"

Mukuro offers me a small smile by way of greeting. Junko's expression remains neutral. "Good morning Chihiro. May we come in?"

I hesitate slightly, but nod anyway. "S-Sure thing…" I open the door wider so that the two sisters can squeeze in, before shutting it behind me. I turn towards them, nervous lump forming in my throat. "Was there something you needed…?"

Mukuro glances over to Junko, who sighs loudly. "I'm _so_ sorry for my outburst Friday… I was under a lot of stress… and I was completely out of line." Something about her words make me think they're rehearsed, so I turn and shoot a nervous look to Mukuro.

She simply smiles at me. "I really hope you'll find it in you to forgive her, Chihiro. She really is sorry." Looking at her, it seems like Mukuro doesn't doubt her sister at all… and that only serves to make me more nervous.

Not wanting to upset anyone, I simply nod. "R-Right… It's fine Junko. I-I don't know what your life is like, s-so I can't really blame you for it."

Mukuro's smile widens slightly, while Junko flinches, as if she weren't expecting that kind of answer.

"Great!" Mukuro says, heading back towards the door. "I'll leave you two alone for a minute then so that you can clear the air…"

" _Oh god no."_ I internally plead. _"Please, please,_ _ **please**_ _don't leave me alone with her!"_ But as expected, it fails, and she quietly exits the room, shutting the door firmly behind her.

I whip my head back around to Junko, who's simply examining her nails. "Huh." She says, strolling over to my computers. "So you _are_ a little geek, huh?" She trails off a moment before clicking her nails on my desk, making me jump. "It's a little sad how gullible sis is, don't you think? But she always forgives me in the end, no matter what."

I draw in a sharp breath, now certain that her apology from earlier was a fake. "S-She just trusts you. Isn't that how sisters-"

She cuts me off. "Cut the chit-chat pipsqueak. Here's how things are going to go down." She suddenly produces a pair of glasses seemingly from nowhere and puts them on, crossing her arms. "Because you made me appear to be such a villain in class Monday, the headmaster is making me issue a public apology to the class today. You are going to say you forgive me _completely_ and smooth things over with everyone, understand?"

I open my mouth to protest, but her demeanor suddenly changes again, this time putting on a cutsey face. "Unless you say otherwise, everyone's going to think I'm just a big ol' meanie! You wouldn't want that, right?" Once again, she switches into a different persona before I can say anything. "And if you fuckin' don't, I'll make sure your life here is a living hell! Forget taking your books and writing nasty things on bathroom stalls, I'll make you wish you weren't ever born!"

Completely terrified by this girl and her mood shifts, I can only bring myself to mutely nod. She then smiles, putting her original façade back in place. "Great. Now then, I'll be taking my leave." As she reaches for the handle, she turns back to me, sinister look on her face. "Oh, and if you say anything about this to Mukuro… I'll make certain you regret it." She winks at me and leaves, slamming the door loudly behind her.

I take a few shaky breaths, trying to steady my nerves. _"I-I've been afraid of people before, but this… Junko is just **terrifying!** " _At least with the bullies I dealt with in the past, I'd have some sort of baseline on how to avoid getting them mad, but… the way Junko was changing her personality to her whims… it's almost impossible for me to guess how she really is!

I manage to walk over to my bed and sit down, making a move to grab my phone from the night stand. As I do though, I notice that my hands are shaking. A lot. Ignoring it, I click my phone's screen on, noting that it's 7:30. Thirty minutes till class.

" _I'm hungry but…"_ I glance down to my hands. _"I don't think I can face anyone like this right now."_

I sit around for the next ten minutes, just trying to get the shaking to stop. Eventually it calms down enough so that it's barely noticeable, and I decide to risk leaving the safety of my room to get some food. Thankfully the dining hall is relatively quiet, and I manage to grab a Poptart from the pantry without incident.

I scan the dining hall for an empty table so that I can eat in peace. Sadly there aren't any vacant, but I notice someone familiar alone in the corner of the dining hall. Sitting quietly and feeding his hamsters is Gundham, with a barely perceptible smile on his face. Deciding to take my chances with the strange boy, I walk up to him.

"Ah, Gundham…?" He glances over to me, and nods slightly in greeting. "D-Do you mind if I join you?"

He glances down to his hamsters before answering. "Very well! You are lucky the Four Dark Devas favor you so…" He smirks slightly. "Even though your presence does not bother me, you would have been fried to a crisp if they did not give their approval!"

" _Is that… a roundabout way of saying he wants me to…?"_ I smile over at him and nod, taking the seat across from him. The grey and white hamster, Jum-P, stops nibbling his sunflower seed and crawls up my arm, curling up on my shoulder for a nap. Cham-P then scurries over and nudges my hand asking for pets. I happily comply with a smile.

"…It is still strange to me." Gundham muses, watching me with a thoughtful look on his face. "The last time the Devas took such a shine to a mere mortal was when they first met the she-cat… and even then she wasn't allowed to touch them so freely."

"Is that so?" I say, rubbing Cham-P's belly. "I really don't know why… I've never even had an animal to look after before."

He looks at me in shock. "You're saying you've yet to pledge allegiance to another deity…? Why not?"

"W-Well…" I start, nervously. "My father never let me have one because we were moving all the time. I-I was actually considering getting something small to keep me company, like a turtle or maybe a mouse-"

"Huhuhu… So you've decided to delve straight into slavery!" He says, cutting me off. "Such reckless behavior… How entertaining!" He smirks over to me. "Worry not mortal, I shall use my knowledge to assist you… for a price, of course!"

"O-Oh, uhm…" I'm surprised at his sudden offer to help. "I'd really appreciate it! What would you like from me in exchange though…?"

I glances off to the side, a little sheepish. "You are… an expert in computers, correct?" I nod. "I maintain a website with many followers; outwardly it appears to be a simple site with care instructions, however… it is actually full of arcane secrets and rituals only those with an astral level as high as my own can decipher! Summoning spells for the mighty phoenix, the grand Cerberus, and even the terrifying Leviathan!" As he continues talking, his voice gets progressively more excited; he even shows the smallest of smiles.

" _It sort of sounds like he may be talking about breeding tips…"_ I muse, trying my best not to smile at him. "Alright, so… what would you like me to do with it?"

He frowns suddenly. "I have had some issues with mortals breaking into my website recently… those pesky creatures that essentially live to cause people grief over the internet! They intentionally change my information posted on the sight and lead others to ruin, laughing at their demise!"

"You mean… trolls?" He nods at my guess.

"I have done my best to prevent their attacks, however…" He huffs slightly, crossing his arms. "Those machines… I can use their basest functions, but otherwise they confound me! I would like you to assist me by designing a system to keep the vermin from messing with the critical information I have posted."

"I see… it should be easy enough…" I muse. "Alright, I'd be happy to help you!"

He snorts softly. "It is an equal exchange. It's not as if you had a choice in the matter."

I shake my head. "I would have helped you anyway if you had just asked." I reach over to pet Sun-D, who's napping on his hand. "That's what friends do; they help each other out. I wouldn't have asked for anything in return."

I glance up at him, to see him staring at me wide-eyed. "Friends, you say…?"

I start, pulling my hand back. "S-sorry!" I feel my face heating up at my own words. I don't know what possessed me to call him a friend, but… I don't really think it's a bad thing. "I dunno why I said that honestly, but I really think we could be good friends… O-Only if you want to be of course!"

He simply stares at me for a moment before breaking out into a chuckle. "I see… Very well mortal! I accept you request for friendship! Be honored!" Though he's smirking at me, I see the tiniest hint of pink on his cheeks.

" _Is he… flattered?"_ I smile up at him and nod, going back to my business of petting Sun-D. _"I think I'm getting better at understanding him… even if it's just a little."_

* * *

After spending the rest of breakfast talking with Gundham, I was forced to part ways with him when the warning bell chimed. I slowly make my way over to the classroom, dreading what's coming.

" _I really don't want to say anything… but I don't have much of a choice."_

Suddenly someone smacks into my side, and I hit the ground hard. "Ow…!" Rubbing my side, I crack my eyes open to see a girl with long bluish-black hair on the ground as well.

She quickly recovers. "Oh, I'm so, so sorry! Are you alright?" She stands and brushes her skirt off before holding her hand out to me. Taking it, I pull myself to my feet.

I offer her a shaky smile. "I'm fine."

She sighs, seemingly relieved. "Good… I'm really sorry I ran into you like that! I just got here when the warning bell rang, and I was panicking trying to find my class in time!"

I shake my head. "It's alright… which class are you looking for? I-I don't mind taking you there if you need it."

"Really?" Her eyes light up. "Thank you so much, uhm…?"

"Oh!" I say, starting slightly. "I'm Chihiro Fujisaki! It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise!" She says, smiling. "But uhm… by any chance, would you happen to know who I am?"

I stare at her for a moment, trying to remember where I might have seen her before. "Uhm… you look familiar, but I can't really place a name."

Her expression shifts into something dark for a moment, but she quickly recovers. "Not to worry! My name's Sayaka Maizono! I'm here because I'm the Ultimate Pop Sensation!"

Something clicks in my head. "I-I'm sorry, I've never really followed pop culture much…" I flush slightly. "Anyway, what class were you heading to?"

"I need to find class 1-A." She says, picking her bag up off of the floor.

My eyes widen, and I smile at the girl. "That's my class…"

"Really?" She smiles. "Then we'll be classmates!" She checks the time on her phone and her expression shifts into one of panic. "We've only got one minute left!?"

I hurriedly pick up my bag off of the floor and grab her wrist. "L-Let's go then! I don't want to make you late on your first day!" We take off in the direction of the class room, and manage to slide in just as the bell rings.

"We made it…!" I sigh out, falling to my knees. Shirabe looks at me with something akin to amusement on his face.

"Barely." He snarks, offering me a hand. I grab it and pull myself up. "And you must be Sayaka."

The girl in question smiles at him, still catching her breath. "Y-Yes. I'm so sorry for almost being late! I got lost…"

"Sayaka?"

I look over to see Junko staring at her with a smile on her face. "It _is_! Hi~!"

Sayaka immediately perks up. "Junko!" She runs over and gives the model a hug. "How are you? I haven't seen you since the interview!"

She waves her off. "Oh you know, been doing this n' that! I'm so glad to see you though! I didn't know that you were coming here!"

Sayaka giggles. "It was a last-minute thing really. I just finished up our last tour of the year, and I was so surprised to find out that I got invited here! The other girls were a little jealous, but they wished me luck anyway!"

Everyone in the room including myself is staring at the two girls with surprise written on their faces, Mukuro included.

"Junko, you know each other?" She asks, quickly recovering.

"U-huh!" She nods, smiling at her sister. "While you were away, this gal and I did a couple of photo shoots together! My agency was actually trying to recruit her... but she turned them down."

"I had to!" Sayaka says, blushing slightly. "I'm nowhere near as pretty as you are, and I would have had to leave my idol group! You know that's been my dream since forever!"

Shriabe clears his throat. "If you girls don't mind, I'd like to get started with class now."

They separate, and I head over to my desk between Mukuro and Mondo. He grins at me in greeting, and I offer him a shaky smile back, plopping down in my desk.

"Alright, first thing's first. Junko, do you have anything to say to the class?" She nods and stands, heading to the front of the class.

"You all… I just wanted to apologize for my awful behavior on Friday." She frowns, tearing up slightly. "I was under a lot of stress, and I just… snapped. I feel so, so bad for how I acted… can you please forgive me?"

"If you don't mind me saying…" Kyoko says, eyeing up the model. "That didn't seem to really be a one-time thing, if how Mondo acted around you was any indication."

She bites her lip. "W-Well, when he and I knew each other, I was going through a bit of a wild streak… I don't blame him for acting how he did towards me. A little bit of that sort of… showed up that day."

Kyoko is clearly unconvinced, but she stays quiet. I glance back to see Mondo seething.

"I-It's not worth it." I whisper, looking back at him. But he doesn't listen.

"Oh yeah? And why the hell should anyone here believe that you're _not_ like that?" He sneers, glaring at the girl.

"Because I can attest to it!" Sayaka says, turning to look at him. "I'm not really sure what happened, but the Junko I know isn't cruel at all! I don't doubt that she did what she did because she was under stress, the business we're in can be really draining!"

Mondo still appears pissed, but he bites his tongue, apparently not wanting to get into a fight with the girl. Kyoko doesn't share his reservations.

"Oh? So you don't think that she could have been dishonest with you about how she really is? I've heard that being two-faced was common in the entertainment industry." Sayaka visibly stiffens, but doesn't back down.

"No, I don't doubt her!" She says with a huff. "We spent a long time working together, and I can say with full confidence that she's one of the nicest people I've met!"

Kyoko raises an eyebrow. "But you aren't aware of what she did to Chihiro, correct?" Sayaka finally goes quiet, looking off to the side. "I had thought as much. You really shouldn't say anything unless you know the whole situation."

Junko takes this opportunity to comment. "I understand your doubts, really I do, but Chihiro and I have already smoothed things over!" She cheers, smiling over at me. _"Right_ Chihiro?"

I grimace slightly, before quickly plastering on a smile. "…Y-Yes, we have."

She turns back to the rest of the class. "See? So if she found it in her heart to forgive me, don't you all think that you can too?"

A wave of murmurs erupts from the class, Leon being the first to speak.

"Eh. I think we should give her a second chance." He says, scratching his head. "They already worked it out, right? So there's no issue."

"I agree!" Taka yells. "People make mistakes! Let us start fresh once again and get to know our dear classmate!"

With various affirmative answers rising from the class, Junko smiles in triumph. "Thank you… thank you all for being so kind!"

I bite my lip to keep the scowl I feel coming off of my face as Shirabe directs her back to her seat. I hated having to lie like that, but… I'm too scared to find out the consequences if I disobey her. I glance back and see that Mondo absolutely livid, and Kyoko doesn't appear to be exactly pleased either.

"Alright guys, quiet down." Shirabe says with a sigh. "Now that that's out of the way, I'm going to explain your classes to you. Take out your schedules."

I quickly pull out my e-Handbook and pull up my schedule, noting that there are seven individual classes.

"Each class you have is forty-five minutes long." Shirabe starts, motioning to the times he scribbled up on the board. "The only exception is the twenty minute homeroom period you have at the end of the day, where you'll all meet up here. The class you're in right now is English Grammar and Composition. You'll basically be reading books and writing essays in here."

There's a collective groan from the class from all but a select few, myself included. I don't have any problems in this kind of subject as long as I can type my essays.

Shirabe smirks. "That's exactly the kind of reaction I was expecting." He pushes up his glasses. "But, you all haven't heard my little exemption clause yet."

"Exemption clause…?" Hina says, a little more than confused.

"Right." Shirabe says, writing the words in chalk behind him and then underlining them. "Anyone wanna take a stab and see if you can figure out what I mean by it?"

Byakuya snorts. "It means that there's a way for us to get out of doing assignments, correct?"

"Bingo." He says, leaning on the podium. "I'm not a huge fan of grading work, and I'm pretty sure most of you aren't fond of doing a bunch of it… so I've come up with this little rule that can work well for both of us."

"W-Which is…?" I ask, a little afraid of what it might be.

"I'm glad you asked little lady!" He says, smirking at us. "After every lesson I teach, I'll give you all a ten-question quiz over the material. If you get at least nine of the ten answers correct, you won't have to do that week's assignment if you don't want to."

Hiro raises his hand. "Isn't grading a quiz work?"

"It is if you don't have machines to grade quizzes like we do." He says with a wink.

Hina raises her hand. "What do you get to do if you are exempt then?"

He shrugs. "I don't care. Sleep, eat, study for another class, goof off… as long as it's not bothering the people who have to do work, you're free to do whatever. Shit-, I mean shoot, you can even leave after checking in with me if you want to."

Leon narrows his eyes. "What's the catch?"

"No catch." Shirabe assures. "I get how you kids could be confused about this, but you all must have realized by now that this school isn't entirely… conventional. Things won't be entirely different of course, but our methods certainly are."

" _No kidding."_ I think with a huff.

He continues. "Anyway, today is still gonna be that general first day stuff that you'll have to deal with. They'll explain your schedule over and over, go over the rules, and then they'll go over what's expected in their respective class." He sighs. "We don't like it any more than you do, but it's what has to be done. Regulations and all that noise."

He walks back over to his desk and flops down. "Right, so now comes the school rule part. Everyone take out your handbooks!" We all do so with a groan. "Hey, I _said_ I don't like it any more than you do! Now, are there any rules that someone doesn't understand?"

Taka raises his hand. "I don't understand the point of most of these! For example, why do rules two, three, and four all end with "without proper reason?" What could possibly be a proper reason to do any of those things!?"

Shirabe snorts. "It's a case by case thing, and it's open to interpretation. Lemme give you an example… Let's say someone's stuck in a room, and there's no other way to get them out besides smashing the door. I'd call that a proper reason to destroy school property, wouldn't you? Next!"

Mukuro is next to raise her hand. "Has the eleventh rule been used a lot? It would seem that some of these rules are a little… out there."

He nods. "Yeah… basically from rule five down are all additions, with the exception of rule ten. It's only at the bottom because it's more of a… "free time," type of thing."

"About that…" Sakura says after raising her hand. "Why is it that they allow us to do such a thing here? It seems a little unfitting for such a prestigious school."

"You guys are teenagers." He shrugs. "You'll have your urges. Just know that there are condoms available in the nurse's office if you do decide to do anything."

Kyoko is next to raise her hand. "Are these the only things we can get in trouble for? If so, it seems a bit… lax."

"Nah." He says, scratching his chin. "I can't really speak for other people, but if a teacher has a legitimate reason for issuing a detention then it doesn't have to be a rule violation. Alright, who's-" The bell suddenly chimes, cutting him off. "Oh, right. We're running a half schedule today. Dismissed!"

A little surprised at the abrupt end of class, I quickly stuff my belongings in my laptop bag.

"Ey, Chihiro."

I whirl around to see Mondo looking down at me. "Mind if I talk to ya a sec?" I nod, and he motions for me to follow him. Once we're safely out in the hall, he turns to me and crosses his arms. "Alright, spill."

I stare at him for a second in confusion. "What?"

"You told everyone you and that blonde psycho were all good. What the fuck possessed you to say somethin' like that?"

I bite my lip and look off to the side. "W-Well, she came to me and apologized-"

"And you forgave her just like that?" He says, giving me a hard look. "I don't buy it for a damn minute."

"S-She seemed sincere when she came by this morning…" I say, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

"And you fucking believed her!?" He yells, smacking his forehead. "You really think someone who just snapped like that would even-"

A cool voice breaks in, cutting him off. "If you don't mind me intruding on your conversation…" I turn around to see Kyoko looking at us with an impassive face. "I'd like to say that it's pretty obvious that she didn't really apologize to Chihiro at all."

He raises an eyebrow, outwardly irritated that he was cut off. "Oh yeah? And what makes you believe that?"

"It's pretty obvious by her behavior, don't you think?" She says, walking up to us. "Not to mention that I caught that look that passed over your face before you said it." She glances to me. "If I had to take a guess, I'd say she threatened you into saying that. Am I wrong?"

I gulp. Bull's eye.

She nods. "It seems my suspicions were correct."

"Hold the phone!" Mondo says, surprised. "How the hell did you figure all that out by jus' watchin' her!?"

"It comes with the trade." She says simply.

He turns to me, expression suddenly shifting into one of concern. "…So did she really fucking do that?"

I take a shaky breath and nod. "I-It was really surprising… her personality kept shifting while she was talking, and…" I sigh. "S-She said if I didn't say that I forgave her for what she did, she'd make me regret the day I was born."

"…" He grimaces. "I shoulda figured it was somethin' like that… I'm really sorry about layin' into ya like that."

I wave him off. "I-Its fine, really! I was just afraid to say it because… w-well, you know."

"If you don't mind me saying though…" Kyoko says, looking at me. "I'd say that you're still probably going to have issues with her."

"W-What?" I clutch my skirt. "But I did what she asked-"

"And that's the problem." She frowns. "You've shown that you're afraid of her. There's no doubt in my mind that she's not going to let you go just like that."

"I-I see…" I manage after a moment of silence. I feel tears forming in the corners of my eyes. "I should have figured that out on my own... B-Bullies don't just leave you alone." My gaze drifts to the floor, and a few tears manage to leak out. "I can't believe this is happening again…"

A few beats of silence pass between us before I feel a hand land firmly on my shoulder. I look up to see Mondo grinning at me.

"You don't have anything to worry about."

My eyebrows practically shoot up to my hairline. "W-What…?"

"You heard me!" He points a finger to himself. "If you stick by me then she won't have a chance to bug ya, right? She may be bat-shit crazy, but she's not dumb enough to get involved with me again!"

"Really? Are you sure?" I ask, frowning up at the gang leader. "I really don't want to bug you with something like this…"

He simply shakes his head. "You won't be bugging me. I told ya, we're friends!" He grins again and ruffles my hair. "I'm not gonna let my ladybro be pushed around by anyone! I promise ya that!"

I stare at him for a moment and simply take in his words before I beam up at him. "T-Thank you… thank you so much Mondo!"

His cheeks tint slightly. "Y-Yeah, no problem! I got your back!"

"I'd like to offer my assistance as well, in that case." Kyoko says, nodding at me. "You and Mondo can't be together all the time, so if she attempts to do anything, I'd like you to come to me. Chances are I'll be able to handle it better than the school authorities will."

"R-Really Kyoko?" She nods. "Alright… I will. Thank you both so much!" She cracks the smallest of smiles and nods, turning away.

"Now that that's settled, let's go. We're going to be late for the next class."

* * *

I flop down on my bed once I get back to my room with a sigh. Shirabe wasn't kidding when he said it would be repetitive…

I pull out the little folded piece of paper I had scribbled notes on. Shirabe wasn't the only one to have strange practices for teaching, as it turns out. I quickly scan the list, making sure I didn't miss anything.

**English Comp.: Exemption Clause**

**Math: Lets us do all work in Calculators**

**History: Nothing special.**

**Chemistry: Teacher lets people borrow equipment and chemicals with permission. Lunch after this class.**

**Art: No assignments; "just make art."**

**Phys. Ed.: Class done with the upperclassmen.**

**Homeroom**

Sixth period was by far the biggest surprise to me. I was completely floored when I walked in the gym and saw the upperclassmen standing there!

* * *

_I push open the doors to the gym and sigh. Even though today wasn't hard, not getting to sleep until three a.m. was starting to catch up with me. I trudge into gym, hoping that the teacher would at least be brief…_

" _Chihiromon!"_

" _Hey, Chihiro!"_

_My neck snaps up when I hear my name being called by two equally enthusiastic voices. I see both Ibuki and Souda flailing their arms to get my attention. I offer them a small wave, but Ibuki won't let me leave it at that._

" _C'mere, c'mere!" She screeches, attracting everyone's attention. Not wanting to stand out more than necessary, I quickly trot over to where they're standing._

" _H-Hey guys!" I say, smiling at the two of them. "What are you two doing here?"_

" _Uh, dur?" Souda says, grinning at me. "We're here for gym class obviously!"_

" _E-Eh?" I can't help but feel a little confused. "You're in our class?"_

_Hajime walks over and stands next to Souda, offering me a smile in greeting. "I guess no one explained how gym works here, did they?"_

_I shake my head. "N-Not really…"_

_He shrugs. "Since there aren't many people here, they just sorta put our classes together. The class above ours doesn't have to take gym anymore, so now we're paired with you guys."_

_I nod slightly. "I guess that makes sense…" Souda glances over me to survey my class._

" _Huh, so these are the guys we're gonna nail this year…" He snarks, saying it a lot louder than necessary. "Can't wait to put you newbies in your place!"_

_Mondo flips him off. "You fuckin' wish Souda! I'll wipe the floor with ya!"_

_Souda flinches and pulls his hat down. "Aw dammit! I forgot he was in your class…!"_

_Ibuki laughs, punching the mechanic in the arm. "Silly shark! There's only one class!"_

_Hajime laughs as well, but it's a lot more mean-spirited. "You know it's bad when_ _**Ibuki** _ _knows better than someone." He whispers, shaking his head._

_A whistle blows, making us all jump. A large man with fiery red hair yells out to us. "Alright guys, line up with your own class!"_

_Ibuki huffs. "Aww man! I didn't get to chat with Chi-Chi at all!"_

_I smile at her, patting her shoulder. "We can hang out later, alright?" I turn away to go back to my own class, but stop for a moment to wave at Gundham, who's standing off to the side with Sonia. He looks surprised, but nods at me in acknowledgement regardless._

_Once I'm back in line, Mondo looks down at me a little confused. "Since when did you get all buddy-buddy with them?"_

_I can only laugh. "Y-You know… I'm not too sure."_

* * *

The saddest part is that I really _don't_ know. The people from their class that I've interacted with have all been pretty nice… and I feel a lot more comfortable talking with some of them than certain people in my own class.

" _I feel like the reason I may be so comfortable with all of them is because they're already all so comfortable with each other."_ I muse, looking up at the ceiling. _"I really hope that we can get to that point too… at least some of us."_

I kick my shoes off, deciding not to worry about it too much. I quickly burrow under the covers of my bed, ready to fall into a deep sleep after a boring day-

_*Bzzt! Bzzt Bzzt! Bzzt Bzzt Bzzt Bzzt!*_

"Come on Chihiromon! Op-en the do-or! You said you'd hang out with Ibuki!"

…

Or not.


	8. Time

I sigh from my seat in the headmaster's office. "Guys, _really_ , I'm fine-"

"Bullshit." Both Kyoko and Mondo spit at the same time.

Once again, I sigh. It's been an entire month since I started attending Hope's Peak Academy, and things have been good so far. The entire class, with the exception of a few people, have really started to connect with each other. I've become pretty good friends with Mukuro and Makoto, and even better friends with Mondo. Kyoko is still a little stand-offish, but I really think she's warming up to us. She doesn't like showing it much, but she's actually very kind.

I've been dragged around by the upperclassmen quite a bit as well. Ibuki likes to take me on impromptu shopping sprees with Sonia, Souda has a habit of calling me in the wee hours of the morning to have "serious discussions," or basically talking my ear off about whatever pops into his head, and there have been the few odd days where I have to avoid being petted by Peko… which is harder than you would think. Out of all of them though, Gundham is the one I hang out with the most. We meet for either dinner or breakfast every day! He's actually a really kind person… albeit a little strange.

It's all so much more fun than I think I deserve.

Of course, there have been some… issues. Mondo has this on-going fight with Taka that seems to get him thrown into detention regularly, and Mukuro… acts really strange around Makoto. Her cheeks are always dusted with the faintest shade of pink when she talks to him, she never meets his gaze directly… and he thinks that she hates him. It's really too complicated for me, if I'm being honest… but its all still manageable.

Junko Enoshima, on the other hand, is not.

Even after promising to leave me alone, she proved Kyoko right by continuing to torment me even after her public apology. It's been mostly small things… dropping a thumb tack in my laptop case for me to prick my finger, leaving hateful notes inside my desk before class… I had thought I could stick it out and not tell my self-appointed guardians, which was working for me so far. Just today though, her bullying became a lot more… aggressive.

* * *

_I scan the food in front of me, trying to decide on what I'd like to have today for lunch. I immediately perk up and ask the cook for the chicken sandwich meal once I see it being served, and he happily complies. Makoto laughs from his place beside me._

_" You're so predictable! You always get the chicken sandwich when they serve it!"_

_I flush slightly. "W-Well it's really good! You can't say that you don't have a default, Mr. Hot Ham and Cheese!"_

_He glances down to his own tray where said sandwich was resting, laughing at my observation. "Alright, alright! I get your point!"_

_The cook hands me my tray with a smile, and I happily return one. I leave the line area with Makoto and scan the dining hall, smiling when I see Mondo and Kyoko sitting together seemingly waiting for us._

_Makoto sighs slightly as we maneuver our way across the hall. "I'm glad Kyoko's finally opening up to us. She was so lone-wolfy at first!"_

_I giggle at his word choice. "Lone-wolfy huh?" He makes an indignant sound. "But you are right. It seems like your pestering her worked in our favor, huh?"_

_" It was not pestering!" He cries. "I… I was just persistent. I just felt like me n' her were meant to be pals, you know? Like it was destiny."_

_I shoot him a side-long glance. "Pals, huh…?"_

_He flushes. "Yeah, JUST pals. Jeez... You've become a lot more mouthy Chihiro…"_

_It's my turn to blush. "I-I have not! I was just playing!"_

_He waves me off with a grin. "Chill, I was just teasing you! You've gotta be one of the most tolerant people I know."_

_I sigh. "Yeah, well-" I cut myself off with a squeal as my feet suddenly slip out from under me, making me fall unceremoniously to the floor. I only have a second to process the wetness seeping into my skirt from what I had slipped in before my tray of food comes crashing down onto my head._

_There's several beats of silence that follows my fall before the dining hall erupts with laughter, the loudest of it ringing from the chair next to me._

_" Oh, Whoops! I'm so sorry Chihiro, I spilled my water!"_

_I glance up to see none other than Junko smirking down at me, empty water bottle held innocently in her perfectly manicured hand. "But you know, you really ought to be more careful! You could have hurt someone!" I glance over to see Celes with an amused smile on her face as she sips from her tea, and Sayaka sitting next to her, looking torn as to whether or not she should be laughing. If the stifled giggles I hear are any indication, it wasn't a grand debate. I feel tears well up in my eyes and a blush spread on my face, wishing the tiled floor would open up from under me and swallow me whole. Makoto gapes at the scene, speechless._

_" Oi, Chihiro, are you alright?!" I glance in front of me to see Mondo and Kyoko quickly stalking over. He offers me a hand and pulls me up and glares around the room, seeing that several students are still laughing. "What the ****fuck** ** are you asshats laughing about?" He grinds out in a low voice. The room immediately quiets as people hurriedly return to their conversations. _

_" Oh look, the guard dog is here." Junko muses flatly, only loud enough so that her companions and mine could hear. "Calm down Charming, your little princess is ****fine** ** . We just had a little accident, see?"_

_" An accident indeed." Kyoko says flatly._

_Junko gasps in mock surprise. "Are you implying that I did that to her on purpose? How cruel!"_

_" It really was just an accident!" Sayaka defends, frowning over at the lavender haired girl. "Junko's just one of those people who talks with her hands… she accidentally tipped her bottle over."_

_Kyoko lets out a very un-ladylike snort. "Yet this never happens when Mukuro sits with you…"_

_I glance up to see that yes, she was in fact missing from her usual spot next to her sister. Junko rolls her eyes. "So I'm suddenly suspicious when sis isn't with me? It's not my fault she had discipline committee stuff to do… I don't really appreciate being accused so wrongly." She finishes with a pout._

_Mondo looks ready to put some passerby through a wall, and Kyoko is openly scowling. Makoto, who's really not following anything that's been going on, finishes picking food off my head and shoulders and dumping it on the floor. "Kay, so, I really don't understand what's going on, but I really think it was just an accident. These things happen sometimes!"_

_Kyoko sends him a quick glare, but her expression softens after a moment. She has a soft spot for our luckster friend and all his naïve behavior, so it's not surprising._

_Without warning, I feel a rough hand work its way around my wrist. I glance up to see Mondo dragging me off. "M-Mondo?"_

_He keeps his gaze forward as he responds. "You don't need to be any more embarrassed than you already have… You're gonna go change your clothes, and then you're gonna explain why exactly that bitch pulled something like that."_

_Kyoko quickly catches up with us, nodding her agreement. "And I won't be allowing any details to slip through the cracks."_

* * *

Which is what leads me to the present. After a rushed change of clothes, Kyoko and Mondo interrogated me until I told them that this wasn't a random incident. I was immediately dragged to the headmaster's office, Kyoko having decided what she had done was a grave offense.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell us what was going on, Chihiro?!" Mondo spits angrily for what seems like the hundredth time.

I gulp, rubbing my bruised elbow slightly. "I-It really wasn't that bad guys… I didn't want to bother you with something small…"

Kyoko scowls. "If you had told us about these "small" things earlier, maybe we could have avoided what happened in the dining hall."

"S-She just happened to spill her water as I was walking by…" I say in a futile effort to get them to drop it. "It's my own fault that I slipped…"

Mondo snorts. "Oh yeah, it was a total fucking accident. I buy that."

I frown, looking off to the side. "W-Well, Makoto seemed to think so."

"Because he's oblivious as hell!" He yells. "Maybe if you had been honest and said that you didn't forgive her-"

"Quiet." Kyoko says, cutting him off. "It's not her fault, and you know it. Junko would have found a way to get them to forgive her regardless of what Chihiro said." She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "I'd like to figure out a way to resolve this issue quickly, but the headmaster is being _very_ slow."

I grimace a little and share a quick look with Mondo. If there was one thing the entire class had figured out by now, it was Kyoko's very thinly veiled dislike of her father. It was shocking considering how she's near impossible to read any other time, but we all found out very quickly that you don't ask her about it… if the swollen lip Leon had ended up with was any indication. (She hadn't hit him or anything, but the glare she sent his way was enough to make him trip and land face-first on a desk. The poor boy...) No one has dared to say anything about it since.

I let out an awkward laugh and smile at her. "W-Well, I'm certain that he has his own things to attend to… this really isn't that important."

"The welfare of a student isn't important?" She says shortly. "He could move with a little more urgency in this case, especially how he's always going on about the "priorities of keeping the students safe and happy." There is no excuse for his tardiness."

"I think you're being a little harsh, girlie." Mondo sighs, shaking his head. "I betcha that he's got a lot of shit to do to run this thing. While I definitely wish he'd hurry his ass up, I don't think he's taking so long 'cause he doesn't care."

"It's the exact opposite actually."

I whip my head back to see a very stressed looking Mr. Kirigiri. He breezes between Mondo and I before flopping down in his chair. Kyoko's stony expression is firmly in place.

"And why, pray tell, is that?" She asks flatly, voice betraying none of her earlier emotion.

Mr. Kirigiri frowns at her tone and rubs the back of his neck. "I was just in a meeting with the council about a Miss Junko Enoshima."

"W-What?" I question, frowning over to the man. "But why?"

"She's… quite the problem." He says tiredly, resting his chin on his hands. "She's already broken several school rules, not to mention how she's been tormenting you. I was suggesting to the council that she be removed from the school as the Ultimate Fashionista."

"You mean to say…" Kyoko muses. "That she's committed other offenses in such a short time?"

He nods. "She's been caught on several occasions vandalizing school property and having alcohol on campus. It's been a near-constant the entire month… she's the very definition of a problem student."

Mondo gets a dark look on his face, but says nothing. I glance over to him with a frown.

Mr. Kirigiri sighs and loosens his tie a little, continuing. "The entire point of this school is to build a hope for the future… but I simply don't see it in her. Her every action, even if it's subtle, seems to be destructive in one way or another… or so I believe. The council disagrees."

Kyoko raises an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Miss Enoshima has brought a lot of publicity to our school… more than we even had initially, if you can believe that. We had over two-hundred students enroll in the reserve department solely because she was attending!" He leans back in his chair, rubbing his face in his hands. "Not to mention the fact that her modeling agency is a huge sponsor of our school… They feel if that she's expelled, the agency would cut our funding!"

"What if you show the agency the proof of her actions?" Kyoko questions, glancing over to her father. "I'm certain that if they say how the face of their company was acting, then they'd understand your actions… and I know for a fact that those security cameras aren't just for show."

"I had tried that." He says with a grimace. "But when I suggested it… they had told me that all evidence of her actions was already completely destroyed."

"What!?" I shriek. "E-Even the things that included me…? The tape from the classroom?"

"Yeah…" He says with a nod. "She has a large following, and they wouldn't want to risk her reputation that paints her to be anything other than the angel portrayed by the media. It would be bad for the agency and our school… so they've decided to completely ignore her actions."

"So there's nothing you can fucking do!?" Mondo yells suddenly, slamming his fist down on his desk. "She's a disease! If you don't get rid of her, I know for a fact that shit's only gonna get worse!"

"I understand your concern Mondo…" Mr. Kirigiri frowns. "But you really need to understand-"

Kyoko cuts him off. "There's nothing to understand." She says coldly. "If you retained any ounce of our family's heritage, you would have looked into her background the moment she had started to cause trouble."

He visibly stiffens at her words. "I had… but like the things that happened here, any records of her activities were blacked out from public access."

"Which is why I had contacted grandfather and had him do some digging for me." Her look turns icy. "If even a little bit of what he had told me was true, I can assure you that her actions up to this point are just a prelude… Her behavior will worsen if left unchecked."

He rubs his forehead. "I didn't say I was going to let her act freely, Kyoko! I've already given her a warning that if she's caught doing something like that again then she'll be expelled!"

"B-But I thought the council said you couldn't…?" I question with a frown.

"They did…" He sighs. "But it's not like she knows that. I think that she'd check herself a little if I had told her that."

"Fool…" Kyoko mumbles under her breath, none too kindly. She grabs my wrist and pulls me out of the chair a little more forcefully than necessary. "We'll be leaving now. I appreciate you meeting with us." Without waiting for a reply, she turns and stalks out of his office with me in tow, Mondo following close behind.

Once we're a safe distance away from the office, she releases my arm with a sigh. "I have a terrible feeling that his mentioning expulsion to her is only going to make things harder… she knows that someone's on to her."

Mondo snorts. "She fucking loves it when people start to catch on to her. But it only makes her get craftier with the shit she does…" He glances over to me. "I'm worried."

"As am I…" Kyoko says, rare bit of frustration showing on her face. "It's clear my father won't be any use in this situation."

"H-He tried." I protest with a frown. "That's more than I could have asked for…"

She stays quiet for a moment. "…Sometimes trying isn't good enough."

I shake my head. "It is for me. Look guys, I'm really glad you're concerned for me and all, but… you don't need to get so worked up over this. I'll be fine-"

"No, you _won't_ be!" Mondo bursts, clearly angry. "God damn it Chihiro, you don't get it! She's singled you out, and she won't stop until _you fucking break_!" Without saying anything else, he abruptly turns and stalks down the hall, leaving me and Kyoko in a stunned silence.

After a few beats, I manage to find my voice. "W-What was that all about…?"

Kyoko shakes her head slightly. "Chihiro… do you recall Junko and Mondo's first interaction? That she had mentioned a certain person?" I nod, recalling the incident perfectly. "Well… I'm not at liberty to go into detail, however…" She pauses a moment and glances around. "Allow me to say this: Junko is a creature of habit. Her torment of you is something she had done to someone else in the past… something that was completely covered up."

I gulp, knot forming in the pit of my stomach. "Y-You mean to say that you really did look into her!?"

She nods. "Why would I lie about that?"

I bite my cheek. "But then... what you said about it being a prelude…?"

"Was also the truth." She says flatly. "It's not my place to talk about it, however… it may be helpful for you to ask Mondo about what happened at some point." She glances in the direction he had left in. "Not now of course."

"Y-You can't tell me anything more?" I question, desperate to know more about it.

She shakes her head. "I'm sorry… but that information… is something I don't feel comfortable spreading. Even if it's vital." She sighs. "It's always been my opinion that that sort of thing should only be spoken by someone involved, unless it's a case that I've personally worked."

"S-So you're saying it was something criminal…?" I ask.

She clicks her tongue after a moment. "…I had forgotten how perceptive you were. I've already said too much." She turns and starts to walk down the hall, stopping and turning to me. "Look… I don't want you to think this is me saying something as a detective. If anything…" She pauses and bites her lip, seemingly reluctant to say her piece. "I want you to consider it advice from a concerned friend. Whatever you do, no matter where you are… do not let your guard down."

Leaving those words hanging behind her, she turns and strides away, stoic expression firmly in place. My gaze drifts to the floor, mixed emotions flying through me. _"I'm glad that she considers me a friend, but… what had she meant by that?"_ It's not as if Junko is stalking me, right? Why would I need to be on-edge at all times?

Feeling as though a bus had hit me, I decide I need a distraction. I fish my phone from my pocket, and quickly type out a text to Chiaki.

_CF: Are you free? I'd like to go and get some coffee if you don't mind._

I'm left waiting for only a second before my phone buzzes.

_CN: Sure father! Can we take the bus? Akane says that people will give you money if you wear a skirt and bend over!_

...Deciding to have a talk with her about morals on our way to Starbucks, I look up a number for a taxi service.

* * *

"So you _shouldn't_ take money from people on the bus?" Chiaki frowns, taking a seat in the Taxi.

I huff and sit down next to her. "No, never! I don't know what Akane told you, but it is not acceptable. Period."

She puffs out her cheeks. "Fine. Wake me up when we get there." She promptly falls asleep, making me sigh out loud.

The driver clears his throat. "Where are you going?"

I start. "O-Oh, uhm… the Dangan Shopping Center, please." He wordlessly nods and drives off, car filling with awkward silence as he does. I opt to gaze out the window and watch the scenery whizz by, thinking about nothing in particular. After a while though, I get bored and glance to the driver, taking in his appearance.

And automatically something doesn't feel right.

The man, rather, the _boy_ holds a striking resemblance to Hajime. The key differences though are his piercing red eyes, eyes that look like they've seen too much of the world… and his extremely long hair. Granted he has a hat on, but even then it's extremely unruly, splaying over his shoulders and his seat.

Not wanting to be caught staring, I glance out the window again. _"H-How on earth is that possible though…? A long-lost twin?"_

"You're questioning my resemblance to a certain someone, I assume." He says flatly, startling me out of my thoughts.

"...What? But how did you-"

"Because you're with her." He says, glancing back to the girl in question. "She knows him… and I know her. It's completely unsurprising that she didn't notice my presence of course… she's always been slightly oblivious. I'm surprised that she hadn't changed like I expected her to, however…" His expression doesn't change as he talks, but his voice has a hint of something that I can't quite place.

"What… do you know about her?" I ask, warily. "R-Rather, _how_ do you know her?"

"Her description of you was spot on…" He muses, not answering my question. "How strange. I had expected the creator of the first living A.I. to be much more pompous. You seem to be the very opposite... Then again, I had also expected her father not to be as… cute, as you are. I had thought she was exaggerating on both counts. How refreshing it is to be proven wrong…"

I immediately tense. "Y-You… who exactly _are_ you?" This boy… clearly knows about me. What's worse, he knows what Chiaki is!

"That is a story for another day, Mr. Fujisaki." He says flatly. "We've arrived at your destination." He pulls up to the curb and shoots me a look that tells me that he won't be speaking anymore. I nervously shake Chiaki awake.

"Hey, Chiaki…? We're here." She opens her eyes, wiping away a trail of drool.

"Kay…" She mumbles, not sparing the strange driver a single glance. She opens the door and pops out. I glance to the unnerving boy and exit as well, walking over to the driver's side to pay the fare. Rather than telling me what it was however, he shakes his head.

"Consider this time a gift for showing me something interesting." He says, resetting the meter. "I'll be seeing you again… try not to die before that time comes. It would be a shame for me not to be able to figure you out…" Then without warning, he speeds away, leaving me staring in shock.

 _"_ _T-Try not to die…!?"_

…

…Well, this is _exactly_ what I needed today.

* * *

I was completely silent as we made our way to Starbucks, mulling the events of today over and over in my mind. I did my best to keep my worries to myself, but I'm starting to think that I might not have a very good poker face, because Chiaki had started questioning me immediately. After several failed attempts to change the subject, I settled on just telling her about my bullying issues with Junko… Which didn't go over well in the least.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner!?" She says, frowning across the table at me. "Did you not trust me enough to tell me…?"

I rapidly shake my head. "N-No! I trust you more than anyone Chiaki…" I sigh. "I hadn't told anyone… and I would have kept it a secret completely if I had a say. It's just that two of my friends had witnessed her most recent act… they made me tell them everything."

She huffs, still clearly displeased. "I still don't like it that I'm hearing about this after the fact! I would have done something to stop her… probably!"

I shake my head at her completely unconvincing answer. "Chiaki, I don't think anyone can stop her… E-Even the school's council refuses to do anything about her because of what she'd brought to the school."

She scowls. "I don't care how much stuff she brought over to the school, she can move it herself for all I care! No one messes with you fa- Chihiro!"

"That's not what I had meant! It means that she's worth a lot of money to the school, so they won't get rid of her!" I sigh, taking a sip from my near-empty Frappeccino. "Anyway… I'll be fine. I-I don't want you to have to worry about this... Besides, it's just a bully! It's not like she's going to kill me or anything."

"Mmmph…" She pouts, puffing out her cheeks. "Fine. If you say so, then I'll believe you… but now I'm sleepy from frustration. Let's go back."

I frown at her. "W-Well… you can if you want to, but there's something I wanted to do… do you have money to take a cab?"

She tilts her head slightly. "No… I think I'll just call Souda and have him pick me up. He's been trying to get over his chronic motion sickness, so I think this'll be a good time to practice. Are you sure that you'll be alright on your own?"

I offer a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine Chiaki! Go ahead and have a nice nap, alright?"

She smiles and gives me a quick hug. "I'll see you later then…" She yawns and turns to leave, pulling her phone out of her pocket. "Hello, Souda? Could you come pick me up…? I'm sleepy…" Her voice fades away as she walks down the hall, leaving me completely alone.

I sigh a little and start clearing away the trash from our table, feeling guilty. _"I didn't actually have anything to do, but… I'm just not ready to go back there yet. I just want this on-edge feeling to go away."_ As if knowing that I can't do anything about Junko wasn't enough, I had to go and meet some omnipotent guy who knows exactly what Chiaki is, and who kindly told me not to _die_ so that he could figure me out! _"It's just one thing after another today!"_

Resigning myself to wandering aimlessly through the shopping center, I sling my bag over my shoulder and glance around. The Dangan Shopping Center is the biggest mall in the city, coming complete with a huge selection of stores, restaurants, and a large outdoor area with a huge fountain that has even __more_ shops and restaurants. They even have a roller coaster in the food court!_

I make my way over to one of the many maps. Right now I'm in the outdoor section just outside the food court… though I already knew that without looking at the map. I scan the stores listed, noting the usual department stores and things you usually expect to see at a mall, but pause when I see something strange.

 _"A pet store…? Why is there a pet store in a mall?"_ I look for its location on the map and quickly find it, noting that it's on the outside where I am.

Oddly enough, I had tried getting a pet within the past month… and failed miserably. Gundham had insisted on helping me pick out a pet, so he had brought me to where he usually got his supplies for his hamsters. We had spent near the entire day there, having the poor staff bring out every single animal available for me to hold... and Gundham said that none of them matched me at all. I agreed not wanting to upset him, but… he was being a little ridiculous.

_"When picking out your master there must be an immediate connection! If you cannot bond with it, you will be truly in a living hell!" He grimaced at me, shaking his head. "You are not like me, the Supreme Overlord of Ice, who can summon beasts and connect with them on a whim! They must choose you!"_

"Maybe I'll pick one out for myself…" I mumble. Surely I can tell on my own if I have a connection with it, right? Plus it's not like I _have_ to buy one from there… I can just casually browse, and then leave if I don't find anything!

Resolving myself to go and take a look, I start off in the direction of the store. It doesn't take me long to find it; It's not particularly large, but it's very well-kept. I push open the door and it chimes, causing a small uproar with the animals present.

I start mindlessly strolling through the isles, scanning the different animals and supplies that they have. "What kind of animal do I even want though…?" I mumble. A lizard? A rodent? What about a cat or a dog? I sigh. _"I don't even know what I want… Maybe I should just go about this systematically?"_ I nod to myself. _"Yeah, that works! I'll work my way through the different types of animals and see what I find!"_

And so I do. Deciding to go to the right end of the store, I walk over to the cat section. _"_ _ _Who doesn't like cats? There has to be a reason the people of the internet are obsessed with them,__ _ _right? It's perfect!"__

…

I leave the cat's section with my hands covered in band-aids, with an extremely apologetic employee close on my heels.

"I am so, so sorry!" She says, bowing to me slightly. "All of the cats we have right now aren't exactly friendly yet, according to the manager! I'll be sure to tell everyone else from now on!" I accept her apology with a smile and wave her off, leaving her to return to her job.

 _"Alright, not the best start…"_ I muse, examining my bandaged hands. _"But there are plenty of other animals here! I've gotta just keep my head up, and I'm sure I'll find one I like!"_

…Or so I had thought.

As it turns out… Gundham may not have been entirely off the mark with his being so critical. The birds they had were cute, but none of them were hand tame. I couldn't stand to touch the reptiles all on my own, and there were too many dead hermit crabs in the tank for me to want to buy one! And the hamsters… I'm guessing the Four Dark Devas are an exception, because the shop keeper said all the ones they had weren't people friendly at all! She tried pushing a fish tank, but I immediately refused.

"The whole reason I want a pet is to have a friend. Not to mention the constant maintenance it needs…"

She nods with a sigh. "Yeah, it usually costs a pretty penny to keep them up. I get why a student like yourself wouldn't want one."

I'm tempted to tell her that money isn't an issue, but I simply shake my head and say goodbye, leaving the aquatic section. If I said anything, I'm certain that she would have made me buy the largest one they had… she was really pushy with her sales technique.

With a sigh, I walk over to the last section: the dog section. I had started this little journey pretty hopeful that I'd find a new furry friend, but… I'm a little skeptical that I'm going to find anything at this point. Turning the corner, I stop short when I see a familiar face.

"T-Taka…?"

The boy in question starts at the sound of his name, whipping his head around toward me. "Oh, Chihiro!" He breathes out a sigh, visibly relaxing. "You really mustn't sneak up on people like that!"

"I really wasn't that quiet, though…" I say, looking at him in concern. "You were just really caught up in whatever you were doing."

Taka sighs a little. "You're right… sorry." He turns back to the shelf, which I now realize is filled with different kinds of dog foods. "I'm just not really used to this type of thing!"

"O-Oh, did you just get a new dog?" I question, smiling up at the moral compass.

He shakes his head. "Not exactly… the situation is a little difficult."

I stare at him, a little confused. "Oh? How so?"

He turns fully to me and crosses his arms in front of him, troubled look on his face. "Well… I actually came across a stray recently in the alley behind my apartment… He's very well trained, so I had assumed he had an owner, but when I took him around the neighborhood… no one claimed him!"

I frown. "S-So… you're keeping him because you have no choice?"

"Not quite." Taka shakes his head again. "The building I live in doesn't allow pets… not to mention the fact I don't know the first thing about taking care of an animal like that! Otherwise I'd simply take him to school with me." He sighs, glancing off to the side. "I've been attempting to find him a new owner, but he isn't exactly your run-of-the-mill dog. I can't seem to find anyone willing to take him in!"

I immediately perk up. "Well... maybe I could take him in!"

I'm not one to believe in things like fate, but… running in to Taka, who just so happens to need to find a pet a home, while looking for a pet myself… I can't just ignore something like that!

"Huh?" Taka manages, shocked. "You?"

"Yes!" I cheer. "I had actually came here looking for a pet today…"

He looks taken aback. "B-But Chihiro… are you certain? This dog… is big! I'm afraid he may be too much for you to handle on your own..."

"I'm sure he can't be that bad! If nothing else, at least let me meet him!" I plead. "I'll even buy the food for him, regardless of whether or not I take him home! S-So please…?"

He stays quiet for a moment. "Very well… I'll at least show you the dog. Are you certain that you can afford the food though?"

I eagerly nod. "O-Oh, money isn't an issue! I've actually saved up a lot from my programming contracts!"

He gets a strange look on his face for just an instant before shifting into a grin. "Very well then! Let's not waste any time!"

* * *

After purchasing a bag of dog food and a few toys, I call the same cab service I had previously. Thankfully it wasn't the same boy as before.

"Whas' the address?" The driver asks as we slide into our seats. Taka quickly rattles off the address and the driver nods, taking off. A comfortable silence washes over us, but after a while Taka speaks up.

"If… If you do not mind me asking…" I turn to him with a curious look. "How hard had you worked for you to become as good at programming as you are?"

I put my finger to my lips. "Well… it's difficult to say. W-Why do you ask? Are you interested in it?"

He shakes his head. "No, nothing like that… I was simply curious if you had worked on it a lot, or if you simply had an innate talent for it."

"Well…" I start, tilting my head slightly. "It's not really either of those things in my case."

He raises an eyebrow. "How so?"

I look off to the side. "…It's not really important. L-Let's just say that anyone would be good at something if it's all they ever did. My dad does the same thing, so I guess I naturally just took interest in it."

He seems a little surprised by my answer, but suddenly breaks out into a grin. "I see! That's not bad at all!" I'm about to question what he means, but he continues on. "There is another thing that I am curious about… how is it that you and that delinquent became friends?"

"Delinquent… you mean Mondo?"

He nods. "None other! I regret to say that I had assumed you had some sort of wild streak for hanging out with him, but I can't help but feel I was incorrect in doing so!" He then tilts his head. "So I'm left wondering how someone as educated as you are ended up with a Neanderthal like him!"

I frown at him. "H-He isn't a Neanderthal!" I sigh slightly. "I understand that you two don't really see eye to eye, and how he can _seem_ like one, but he really isn't! He's a really nice guy, and he's super fun to be around!"

He grimaces. "You said the same thing Makoto had! I'm simply at a loss that this point!" If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was pouting. "How is it that someone like him is able to attain such high level friends, but I cannot manage to hold a decent conversation with a single person!? Well… aside from Makoto." He has such a defeated look on his face… it's sad. "I've even tried studying social media like he had suggested, but I simply can't… grasp it!"

"W-Well, I think we've had a nice time so far!" I say, in an effort to cheer him up. "And I don't really get what you mean by 'study social media', but… you don't have to be into something like that to be able to talk to someone!"

"But… how am I supposed to relate to people if I don't?" He queries.

"Well…" I scrunch my face in thought. "S-Sure, it helps if you have common interests, but sometimes you just… click. You can always find common ground with someone if you talk to them long enough... I mean, look at Mondo and I! We're absolutely nothing alike, but we've still managed to become really good friends! It's really just a matter of getting to know someone for _them_ , rather than what they're interested in." I laugh, feeling sheepish all of the sudden. "O-Of course, I'm not one to really be talking about this kind of thing… I didn't really have any friends until I got here! You should probably just ignore me…"

Without warning, he takes my hands in his own, pleased look on his face. "Not at all!"

"Eh?" I can't help but feel slightly flustered at his sudden enthusiasm.

"Though I'm still going to continue to try and study what people our age like, your advice will not go unheeded! I will definitely try to make more of an effort to get to know you all on my own merits! No more excuses! You know…" He shoots me a dazzling grin, making my cheeks heat up. "You're an extremely insightful person! Might I come to you for advice in the future?"

"R-Really, you'd probably be better off talking to someone else!" I say hurriedly, waving him off. "Makoto is much more suited for this type of thing-"

"Nonsense!" He laughs. "Of course I'll still talk to Makoto, but I think you're capable of giving sound advice as well! I'll be depending on you in the future!"

Just as I'm about to try and convince him otherwise, the driver speaks up. "Ey, we're here. Quit yer flirtin."

Taka frowns over at the man, and my face erupts into a blush. "We were not flirting! I-" I shove the bag of toys and food into his hands.

"Here, go ahead and take these out so I can pay him!" I say, not wanting to feel any more embarrassed than necessary. He complies, albeit a little reluctantly, and I turn to the cab driver. "W-What's the fare?"

"Twenny bucks." He says gruffly. I fish out the bill from my wallet, feeling like it was a little steep for a five minute cab ride. I quickly pay the man and hop out, him speeding off as soon as the door was closed.

"What a rude man!" Taka gripes. "I thought cab drivers were supposed to be personable! He couldn't wait to get us out of there!"

I sigh slightly, trying not to remember my other pleasant experience with a certain cabby earlier. "W-Well, chances are he was just having a bad day… it's not that important." I turn to the apartment complex, surprised to see how… normal it is. I try not to let it show however, quickly turning to him with a smile. "S-So, where is he?"

"Ah yes, this way please!" He motions for me to follow him, walking toward the backside of the building. He turns into an alleyway directly behind the building, and I take a deep breath before following him in.

…

I'm _floored_ when I see what's there.

"T-Taka…! I thought you said that you found a dog!?"

He laughs. "He __is__ a dog! I did warn you that he was rather large!"

Except that "large" is a complete understatement! This dog is absolutely massive, with pretty brown and black hair, and dark brown eyes. _"H-How on earth could Taka not be more specific with this!? You'd think 'Oh, this dog is about your height' would be something important to mention!"_

Noticing my presence, the "dog" completely bypasses Taka and walks over to me, and I immediately stiffen.

"H-Hi doggie…" I manage, a little scared. "N-Nice boy…!" He sniffs at me for a moment, circling me. _"Oh god, oh god, ** **please**** don't eat me!" _When he gets back to my front, he's apparently decided that he likes me… because he starts licking my face.

Which he can reach while _sitting down._

…

…At least he isn't aggressive…?

I quickly pull him off with a laugh and start scratching behind his ear. "My goodness, Taka could have told me you were a bear!" The dog lets out a deep bark and starts thumping his leg, clearly enjoying the scratches. I can't help but laugh again and I glance over to Taka, seeing that he's filling up a bowl with food. "D-Do you even know what breed he is…?"

He sets down the bowl and the massive dog quickly turns around, trotting over to where the food is. "Not really! I had actually assumed that he was some sort of mutant with how large he is!"

I glance to the dog. _"…I sort of get where he'd come to that conclusion."_ I quickly reach into my pocket to grab my phone and I snap a photo of the beast, trying to see if I can find a breed that matches his… size.

I'm completely surprised when I do.

"I-It looks like he's a… Leonberger?" I say, staring at my phone. "It seems like they're usually smaller than this guy is, but… they can actually be _this_ big! W-What on earth…?" How is it that a __dog__ can be the size of a pony? "That's just crazy!"

Taka moves over beside me, peering down at my phone. "So… assuming your guess is correct… then this guy has to be well bred, right?" I nod. "Then that makes me even more confused as to why he's here! I would assume a dog like him would go for a lot of money! Why would someone just dump him here!?"

"W-Well, if I had to guess… maybe he got to be too much for them to handle? If the dog was expensive… then imagine how much it must cost to take care of him!" I say, watching him inhale his food. He starts coughing all of the sudden, stopping as he spits up some kibble that had gone down the wrong way. "S-Still… it's pretty awful that someone would just dump him… are you certain that he's a stray?"

He nods. "I had checked him all over for a collar or a tag or _something_ , and I even took him to the vet to see if he had one of those microchips! As it stands currently, there's no one who's officially that dog's owner!" He scowls and crosses his arms. "It makes me absolutely furious that someone wouldn't even bother taking him to a shelter! He's likely to get shot out here!"

"How terrible…" I stare at the dog as he devours his food, and I can't help the smile that creeps its way onto my face. This dog… even though it's a mammoth… is really, really cute! He stops eating and looks over to us, tilting his head slightly. "Come here boy!" I say, patting my leg. He happily complies and bounds over to us, nearly toppling me as he shoves his head into my chest. "Ehehehe… you really are just a big ol' sweetheart!"

As I pet and rub all over him, I notice Taka giving me an odd look. "I-Is there something wrong…?"

He huffs. "…I need to try something!" Without warning… he sweeps me off my feet, lifting me in the air by my armpits.

And I forget how to breathe for a moment.

"T-T-Taka!" I squeak, face on fire. "W-What on earth are you doing!?" I get my answer when he deposits me right on the back of the dog, who just stands there as though I weigh nothing.

He steps back with a grin and snaps his fingers. "I knew it! I knew you were small enough to ride him!"

"Just because I can doesn't mean I _should!_ " I rapidly shake my head, clutching the dog's fur as he starts to move. "W-What if he throws me off?!"

But he doesn't… instead, he's carries me around as if it's the most natural thing in the world. As he walks around, I relax just a tiny bit.

Taka pets his head as he walks over to him, grinning over to me. "He doesn't seem to mind it!"

"W-Well I do!" I say, trying to figure out the best way to dismount the dog. After a moment I decide to sort of just slide off his side, pinning down my skirt so that I don't accidentally flash my undies. I let out a sigh of relief once I'm back on the ground. "That was not okay!"

He frowns. "But it seemed like you enjoyed it to me!"

"H-He could have tossed me off, Taka! At least warn me next time before you decide to do something like that!" I chide, puffing out my cheeks at the tall boy. "I'd like to see if he'd even let you do that!"

He laughs with a shake of his head. "I would attempt it, but I fear that I'm too big! I wouldn't want to hurt him!"

I'm about to comment, but then I remember the fact that he _is_ actually pretty big. He's about a foot taller than me, and he's probably a lot heavier too. I relent with a sigh. "I-I suppose you're right…" I walk over to the bag of toys, fishing out one of the ropes. "Wanna see if he likes any of these?"

* * *

Taka and I spend a while just playing with the dog, chatting about various things the entire time we do. I actually found out a lot of things about him! He's studious to the point of absurdity, but has actually recently taken an interest in kendo thanks to "a stoic upperclassman," who I couldn't help but think was Peko. Oddly enough, I learned that he had founded a discipline committee in the school… that he and Mukuro were the sole members. Needless to say it surprised me to hear that Mukuro would do something like that given her slightly introverted nature, but it became easier to understand once I remembered that Taka wasn't exactly a social butterfly either… and that a discipline committee was right up her alley.

I had also learned that his dad raised him on his own after his mother left them for a reason he didn't go into. While he was talking about his dad, I definitely got the impression that he absolutely adores his father.

"I really wish I could introduce you to him, Chihiro!" He says, glancing over to the building. "I'm certain that he'd love to meet one of my new friends, but he's actually at work currently!" He nods to himself slightly, proud look on his face. "The work of a police officer is never done!"

I can't help the smile that creeps onto my face at his use of the word "friend." I would never have thought I'd make so many of them… "It's fine. I can always come visit again, you know."

He starts suddenly, as if it hadn't occurred to him. "I… suppose you are correct! Very well then! Next time, I'll be sure to introduce you! I'll even bring Makoto along!"

I nod. "It's a plan then!" I glance to the clock on my phone, seeing it read six p.m. on the dot. "W-Wow, it's gotten really late! Time sure does fly…"

"Not literally of course!" Taka says. He walks over to the dog, turning to me with an uncertain look on his face. "So, I hadn't asked this before, but… do you want to keep him? He really is quite large, and I feel like he'd be very costly to take care of-"

I cut him off with a laugh and a shake of my head. "Taka, I decided a while ago that I'd be taking him back with me! O-Of course, that's only if you'll let me take him…"

"Of course I will!" He says with a grin. "He seems to be very fond of you, if your drool stained clothes are any indication!" I glance down, feeling mortified when I see that he wasn't kidding. "I officially hand over custody! Do you have a name picked out for him?"

I tilt my head, glancing over to the massive dog. He's currently sitting and staring at me, tail wagging wildly. "U-Uhm… how about Bear?"

"How delightfully generic!" Taka cheers. "Completely acceptable as a dog's name!"

"Okay, never mind about that…" I say. "How about…" I study the dog carefully, trying to think of something that suits him. He's very big… but he's not fat. A protector sort... with pretty brown-black hair… "…Frederick."

He stares at me. "Frederick?"

"Yes!" I say, grin breaking out on my face. "Frederick! He's a knight in one of my favorite videogames! He's very tall, and he's always wearing heavy armor! Not to mention the fact that he's extremely loyal to the prince and princess… its perfect!" I walk over to the dog and sling my arms around him. "From now on Frederick, you're going to be living with me! I hope we can get along well!" He responds with a deep bark and a single lick to my face.

"Well then, now that that's settled…" Taka starts, gathering up the dog's things from the alley. "Let's bring him back to the academy!"

I turn to him. "Ahm… H-How exactly are we going to do that…? I don't think a cab driver is going to let us squish him into a car…" I frown, contemplative look on my face. "Not to mention we have all that stuff to take back…"

After a moment of thought Taka snaps his fingers. "Hang on! I think I have just the thing!" He dashes out of the alley towards his building, and I share a confused look with Frederick. He returns moments later with a wagon. "We'll use this to carry the supplies back!"

"Wait, Taka… how long does it take to walk to the school from here? The sun's setting…"

He waves me off. "Oh, it's only about a thirty-minute walk for me! No need to be concerned!"

"W-Well, it's a thirty minute walk for you, but I'm a lot smaller… I'll probably slow us down."

But once again, he waves me off. "So it'll take a little longer! I'm certain that we'll make it back before dark! But, if you're truly concerned about it…" He gestures to my new companion. "You can simply ride Frederick back! We've already learned that you can, so what's the harm?"

Not wanting to go through that again, I shake my head. "No no, I'm fine! We'll just have a nice walk ba-!?"

Just as I'm about to reach for a rope to tie around his neck, Frederick sticks his head in between my legs and quickly crawls through, making me sit on his back as he stands. I have to hurriedly grab the scruff of his neck to balance myself.

Taka lets out a laugh. "It seems it's been decided then! Come on then Frederick, let us make certain that Chihiro makes it back safely to her room at the school!" Frederick barks happily in response, following Taka out of the alley.

I sigh, rubbing my forehead with the hand that isn't clutching Frederick's fur.

_" What did I just get myself into…?"_


	9. Frederick

Taka speeds away as soon as we're back to the school, saying something about a late night study session… even though it's only eight o'clock. We would have made it back to the school sooner, but Taka had suggested stopping by a pet store again to buy a proper collar, leash, and tag for Frederick, to which I agreed almost immediately.

I smile down at the dog and thumb at his new blue and white checkered collar. "Because everyone here needs to know you're mine, right boy?" He lets out a happy bark and starts forward to the doors, but I pull on his collar to stop him. "W-Woah, I can't ride you inside the school! I'm already going to get enough grief for having a dog that probably weighs more than I do! Plus, we need to get your stuff-!" I try to slide off him, but he turns in the opposite direction, making it hard for me to dismount him.

I heave out a sigh, at a loss for what I should do. "U-Uhm… if you let me walk now, I'll give you one of your new treats early?"

He stills instantly. I take the opportunity to slide off his back, and he rounds on me with an expectant look on his face. I stare at him for a moment in stunned silence.

 _"Well… he certainly isn't a stupid dog."_ I trot over to the wagon Taka left on the ground and open up one of the boxes of treats; little star-shaped biscuits with cheese and bacon in them. It appears to take everything Frederick has to not jump (?) up and grab it from me.

"O-Okay, sit!" He eagerly complies, and I hold the treat up for him to take. "Good job Frederick!"

He inhales the treat and barks at me, clearly expecting more. "N-No, not now! We need to put your things away and get you settled in my room, alright?" His ears lower slightly, but he consents none the less with a small huff.

I laugh a little. "Are you sure you're not a person in a dog costume..? You understand me a little too well!" I reach up and pat his head, thinking that that would probably be a better explanation for his sheer size. He tilts his head at me before licking up my face. "…Nope. Not human at all."

I sigh after hurriedly wiping off my face and grab the wagon, tugging on the leash a little to get him to follow me. The main lobby of the school is empty, save from the security guard sitting where the front office lady sits. I try not to look his way, but I can't help but see him raise an eyebrow at me from the corner of my eye.

 _"Not that I blame him or anything."_ I muse idly, strolling down the hall. I glance over to Frederick, who seems content just going my speed. _"We make a very… odd pair. I wonder what Gundham is going to say? He basically rejected every other animal that I had even come in contact with…"_ Not that it particularly matters of course, because I have him anyway, but I still feel bad that I went ahead and did this after he had put a lot of effort into finding me a pet.

I'm jolted out of my thoughts by a sudden tug on the leash that almost makes me fall on my butt. I whip my head around to Frederick, who's planted himself in front of the guy's bathroom. "W-What's wrong boy?" He starts tugging the leash like he wants to go inside. "H-Hang on, I can't go in there-!"

He yanks the leash out of my hand, rushing into the bathroom. Why on earth was he hell-bent on going inside…?

"F-Frederick, just what are you doing!? Get back out here!" He lets out a bark, but doesn't leave the bathroom.

I start to panic a little. I normally avoid public restrooms like the plague, and for good reason. I technically can go in there… but if anyone sees me, it's going to raise more than a few questions! I sigh in resignation. "I suppose I'll just have to wait for him to come out…"

"Wait for who to come out?"

I jump and have to slap my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. I whip my head around to see Mondo staring at me in confusion. "Woah girlie, what's the issue?"

I let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just you Mondo… d-don't sneak up on me like that!"

He lets out a snort. "I wasn't exactly being quiet. So, who are ya waiting for?" He shoots me a teasing smirk. "Got a new boyfriend?"

My entire face erupts in a blush. "What!? N-No!"

"Calm down, Chi!" He laughs. "I'm just teasing you. But seriously, who are ya waiting for? He glances behind me. "And what's with the wagon?"

"O-oh!" I smile up at him, excited to share my news. "I actually just got a dog! I was using this to carry some supplies back."

"No fuckin' way!" He cheers. "I love dogs! Where is the little guy?"

I fight to suppress a laugh at the irony in his word choice. "Well, he's actually the one I was waiting for. He pulled away from me and went in there…"

"Oh, that's it? Shit, I'll go in there and get him for ya!" He turns away and heads for the door.

Oh crap. "W-Wait, Mondo-!" But he doesn't listen, instead rushing into the bathroom. There are several beats of tense silence that follow, making it hard to even breathe.

After a moment, I call out. "H-Hey, Mondo?" No answer… did something happen?

Just as I resolve myself to go in there, I hear Mondo yell out.

"Why the _fuck_ is there a bear pissing in the toilet!?"

* * *

I still haven't stopped laughing by the time we reach my room. Mondo lets out an irritated groan.

"Why the hell didn't you warn me!? I thought for sure that some dense motherfucker let a bear loose in the school!" He grinds out with a scowl.

I wipe a tear from my eye. "I-I'm sorry Mondo! I had tried, but you were so excited…"

He huffs, scowl lightening slightly. "Yeah, well… I was pretty pumped. Still am actually! I didn't think your pet would be such a fucking beast though!" He reaches down and scratches said beast on the head, grin erupting on his face. "He's pretty damn cute… once ya get past how huge he is."

I giggle, fishing my key out of my pocket. "If you had told me I'd be getting a dog the same height as me yesterday, I would have said you were crazy!" Once I have the door unlocked, Frederick bolts in. I walk in and wheel the wagon off to the side of the room, but I peek back when I notice Mondo is still in the hall. "Aren't you coming in?"

He looks surprised for a moment, but then nods. "Yeah, sure…" He hurries into the room and closes the door behind him, looking around my room with great interest. "Wow… look at all a' this stuff! It must have cost a fortune!"

I scratch my cheek, a little sheepish. "W-Well, some of these are things I had restored… you know, upgraded old computers and such. It didn't really cost as much as you would think."

He nods, walking over to Frederick. "So, I gotta ask… where the hell didja find a dog that's bigger than ya and knows how to use the toilet? I sorta doubt ya picked him up from a shelter!"

"I didn't know he did that until you said something about it!" I sit down on the bed, smiling as Frederick curls up by my feet. "But yeah, it's a pretty weird story…"

Mondo flops down on the bed next to me, making me bounce up slightly. "I'm all ears."

I proceed to explain how I was actually in a pet store and then ran into Taka who had found a stray, how I jumped at the chance to help an animal out… and how Taka left out the small detail that he was a behemoth. I don't mention the personal stuff that Taka had shared of course, but he still gives me a funny look once I'm done.

"So, I get that you were looking for a dog and all…" He says with a grimace. "But why didja stick around for so long with our resident killjoy? Just trying to butter him up so he'd give him to ya?"

I laugh a little and pet Frederick's head. "Well, he's actually pretty nice. We talked about all sorts of things while playing with Frederick, and he even invited me back to meet his dad some time!"

He huffs and mumbles under his breath. "Ya don't need to be spending time with him like that…" The next part is mumbled so quietly that I didn't hear him.

"What was that?" I ask, curious about what he said.

He rapidly shakes his head. "Nothin'! I was jus' thinking you shouldn't be spending too much time with that stiff! He'll turn ya into a prude!"

I raise an eyebrow at him, but then shake my head. "Mondo, he's not that bad at all! S-Sure, he studies a lot, and _sure_ , he can be a little uptight! If today showed me anything though, it's that he isn't a bad guy. I had a lot of fun."

Mondo groans, clearly disapproving of my time spent with the perfect.. "Maybe ya did, but still…!"

I puff out my cheeks at him. "But nothing! All you two ever do is fight; you haven't talked to him normally about anything!"

"Because he's such a blowhard!" Mondo retorts. "All he's ever doing is yelling and carrying on about me going to detention and shit! Why would I even _want_ to talk to him?"

I sigh slightly, knowing that he has a point. "I-I'm not going to ask you two to become best friends, but at the very least, can you try to be civil? I'd like to be friends with him."

He grumbles, but nods. "…Fine! But if he starts shit, I ain't gonna back down!"

I can't help the laugh that squeaks out. "Fair enough!"

We fall into a comfortable silence, me scratching and petting Frederick, and Mondo just watching on and occasionally reaching over to pet him as well.

"So… Chi." He says after a while. "I gotta apologize for earlier."

I look up to see him turned away. "What do you mean?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "When I ran off after we got out of the old man's office… I really lost my shit, and I ended up blowing up on you. I shouldn't a' done that."

I shake my head at him. "I-Its alright. I get that this is pretty personal for you too, a-and I really should have taken your and Kyoko's request more seriously than I had. I really just didn't want to drag you two into something that I thought I could have handled on my own…"

He falls back onto the bed with a thump. "Yeah, well… I get worried, ya know? I had seriously thought for a while that she had decided to leave ya alone… but I really shoulda known better."

I suddenly remember that Kyoko had told me to ask Mondo about what had happened before. _"I could probably ask him about it now…"_ I glance over to him. _"…No. I'll ask him some other time. I shouldn't ambush him like that while we're hanging out."_ With that thought, I fall back on to the bed next to him and start up a conversation about nothing in particular.

_"It's not like it's really all that important right now anyway…"_

* * *

I wake up the next morning bleary-eyed _very_ grateful for the fact that it's a Saturday. Mondo had kept me up until the wee hours of the morning just talking about whatever came to mind, so it's needless to say that I'm pretty tired.

 _"What time did he even leave though?"_ I muse, staring up at the ceiling. _"I don't really remember much past the three a.m. mark…"_

I hoist myself up to a sitting position to go shower, but something slips off me as I do. It nearly falls to the floor since I was sleeping on the bed the wrong way, but I manage to grab it before it does.

"This is…" I examine the mysterious piece of fabric for a moment before it finally occurs to me that it's Mondo's jacket. I blush slightly. "Oh no, did I fall asleep on him…?"

I look over to the night stand to see a hastily scribbled note placed on my phone. I set the jacket aside and reach for it, quickly scanning the words.

_Chi,_

_You fell asleep, so I took off. Just in case someone is dumb enough to come and fuck with you and your new dog, I left my jacket behind so that they'd know they were fucking with me too. I'll get it back from ya tomorrow._

I laugh a little as I read it, knowing who the author was without a signature. _"He's sweet… in his own special way."_

If there is anything that I've learned about Mondo Owada during the month that I've been friends with him, is that he's extremely protective of me. It's probably partly because of the threat of Junko bullying me, but I can't help but feel there's something else too. I'd like to think it's because we're pretty good friends.

I drape his jacket over a chair and glance over to the clock. Eight a.m. _"I guess I'll go shower and get some breakfast."_ I move to grab a fresh set of clothes and frown when I see the wardrobe pretty much empty. _"I… really need to do some laundry."_ I scan the few articles hanging up: A few jackets, scarfs… nothing that can be worn on its own. I sigh a little in relief when I see something else that's fallen to the floor, but groan what I see what it is: the white strapless dress that my father had bought for me on a whim.

It's not that it's ugly or anything; quite the opposite. It has ruffles on the chest area with a flowy skirt that cuts off just under the ribs and barely comes to the top of my knees. I've always been a little too afraid to wear it because of just _how_ nice it is though; I'm sincerely afraid that I'll ruin it.

I sigh and pull it out. _"Is it even warm enough to wear it…?"_ I pull up the weather on my phone, seeing that it's a comfortable seventy-one degrees Fahrenheit. _"Well, it is only early September… still basically summer."_ Deciding this was my best option, I drape the dress on the table and hurry to take a shower.

I come out after ten or so minutes and notice a notification on my phone. It's a text message from Gundham!

_GT: The Dark Devas have been restless over our lack of communication these past days. Meet me in the dining hall so that you may beg for forgiveness!_

I can't help but snort a little at Gundham's invitation. I know it's weird, but I sort of think his eccentric way of speaking is charming, in its own way… like he's too shy to just outwardly ask me to hang out with him. I smile and put my phone down and hurriedly slip on the dress, not wanting to keep Gundham waiting too long.

I make sure to crack the bathroom door so that Frederick can pee if he needs to before slipping on a pair of white flats and snatching my key and phone off the night table. "Okay boy, I'll be back in a while!" He huffs from his place on the floor, and I quickly exit the room.

* * *

I walk into the dining hall, not at all surprised to see that it's pretty much empty. Not many people get up earlier than ten on the weekends. I scan the dining room and quickly find my strange friend.

"Ah, Gundham!" I call out, walking over to him. "Sorry to have kept you waiting!"

He quickly turns to me. "It is not _I_ you-" The words die off in his throat for whatever reason, and he stares at me.

I put my phone and keys on the table and shoot him a curious look. "Gundham, is something the matter?"

He starts slightly and quickly shakes his head, pulling up his scarf to hide a rapidly spreading blush. "You! What are you thinking, coming to me dressed as a virgin sacrifice?! The Dark Devas may very well mistake you for an offering with that sort of appearance!"

I stare at him. "What..?"

"The dress, woman! What possessed you to wear such a..." He pulls up his scarf a little more. "A strange garment! You look as though you're ready to lead men to their deaths!"

I flush slightly at the strange compliment. Was it even a compliment? I laugh a little and try to wave him off. "A-Ah, I don't really think I can do that… but this was all I had left to wear. I _really_ need to do laundry as it turns out."

"It is not an excuse!" He says, crossing his arms at me. "Such a thing should only be worn during ceremonies of the highest caliber!"

I just nod a little, not really understanding what he meant by it. "W-Well even so…" Cham-P scurries over to me, and I pick him up and pet him. "They don't seem to mind it terribly…" As the other three crawl over to say their hellos, he snaps his jaw shut and looks away. Is he really that uncomfortable with it?

I sigh a little. "W-Well… I suppose I can go and do some laundry. I don't want to be mistaken for an offering…"

He nods, a little too quickly for my liking. "Very well mortal! I shall wait for you here."

I shoot him a pleading look. "Actually… there's something I'd like you to see. If you don't mind, we can hang out in my room while the laundry's running?"

He looks taken aback by my sudden invitation, but nods anyway. "…Very well. I shall grace your quarters with my presence! Be happy!"

"Oh, I am." I say with a laugh, excited for my friend to meet my new pet. "Let's get going then!" I stand from my seat at the table, the four Dark Devas either climbing to my head or either shoulder as I do.

He stands as well, following after me. "So, what is it you wish to present to me? I must admit that you have managed to pique the interest of the Supreme Overlord of Ice!"

I laugh slightly, glancing back to him. "W-Well actually… I got a pet!"

He raises an eyebrow at me. "You mean to say that you found a suitable deity to serve under…?" He goes quiet for a bit, but then laughs. "I see! How completely unexpected mortal, that you yourself would take the initiative to pledge allegiance to something on your own!"

I giggle a bit at his excitement. "Well, a friend of mine had actually found a stray and was looking for a home for him… and we just got along so well!" We reach my door, and I quickly unlock it. I glance back to him a little. "A-Ah, just a warning though… he's extremely big."

"Oh fie!" He says, waving me off. "No beast can catch someone of my astral level off guard, no matter their size!"

I sigh a little. "I-If you say so…" I open the door wide, noticing that Frederick is nowhere in sight. "Frederick? Come here boy!"

A large head peeks over from the other side of the bed. "Grwoof!" He bounds over it and tackles Gundham, knocking him to the floor.

I quickly pull his collar. "F-Frederick! Get off of him this instant!"

"N-Nay mortal, everything if fine!" I bend over to look at Gundham and see that Frederick is drowning him in kisses. "Your beast is merely s-showing respect to my majestic-" He cuts himself off with a raspberry as Frederick's tongue accidentally goes into his mouth.

I stifle a laugh and pull him off the poor boy, Dark Devas jumping off me to make sure that he was alright. I crouch down next to him. "G-Gundham, I am so sorry! I didn't expect him to attack you with kisses like that!" I shoot Frederick, whose sitting beside me, a pointed look. "Bad boy! Don't tackle guests! It's very rude!"

Gundham pulls himself to a sitting position, shooting me a dubious look after staring at Frederick for a beat. "Mortal… you do realize you could ride that beast into battle, correct?"

I flush a little and nod. "I-I actually already have ridden him, though not by choice… But he's super sweet, and so well trained it makes me think that he must have had a really good owner before me."

He huffs slightly. "You said you had received him from a friend who had picked him off the street?" I nod. "I see! Then it truly must have been fate that brought you this terrible beast to serve under! Truly a match made in heaven!" He nods to himself. "Very well- I shall happily condone this!"

I stare at him for a beat. _"What was he going to do if he didn't approve…?"_ Not wanting to think about it too terribly much, I stand and offer him a hand. "W-Well, come on then! You can sit in my room while I throw my laundry in!"

* * *

After tossing in my laundry and setting a timer on my phone, I went back to my room and hung out with Gundham. He, and strangely enough the Devas, took a very fast liking to my mammoth of a dog. They had even curled up in his fur and took a nap as Gundham and I talked the time away. After a brief break to haul my laundry back to my room, we pick up the conversation once more

"So, Gundham…" I start, playing with the hem of my dress a little. "How is the website doing? There haven't been any issues since I put up that firewall, right?"

"I had nearly forgotten to thank you for that!" He laughs slightly. "Fufufufu… the wall of fire that you had instilled has kept the creatures of the internet at bay! Your mystical workings are truly a gift foreign to me!"

I laugh. "Well, I'm glad it helped. That site is really important to you, and it must have been really frustrating to have people coming and messing with the information you had taken the time to put in!"

"Indeed, my patience was wearing thin!" He says with a sigh. "The rituals they were messing with were of vital importance to my disciples… thankfully those days are in the past!" He glances to me. "Ah, but now there's the issue of my debt to repay…"

"Eh?" I question.

"The terms of our agreement were that I was to help you acquire a suitable deity to worship if you'd helped me in my fight against the despicable trolls of the internet!" He crosses his arms. "Yet I was unable to fulfill my end! I cannot allow you to be left without repayment for such a large favor!"

I shake my head at him. "I-I really don't need anything in return! We're friends, I don't need a reason to help you."

He frowns. "But-"

"But nothing!" I puff out my cheeks at him. "I don't need you to do anything for me, alright?"

He sighs a little, but thankfully relents. "…Very well. I must say you are quite the strange one in refusing a favor from someone of my caliber, but I shall respect your wishes!"

I smile at him. "Thank you…"

He tugs up his scarf a little. "…Very strange indeed."

I'm about to question him, but I'm startled by a sudden knock at the door. "Who…?" I hop up from my seat on the table and walk over to the door, opening it. I'm surprised to see who's there.

Standing there clad in her usual school uniform is Mukuro, small smile on her face. "Good afternoon, Chihiro."

I grin at her. "Oh, Mukuro! What brings you by?"

She sighs a little. "Well actually… Taka asked me to help him gather up everyone from our class for a brief meeting." She glances past me to Gundham. "Is now a bad time…? I can tell him you were busy-"

"It is fine mortal." Gundham says from his place at the table. "You said this meeting was brief, correct?"

She nods. "It shouldn't take any longer than ten minutes…"

"Then I shall wait here!" He says with finality. "Do not keep her long, otherwise I'll be certain to make you my next sacrifice to the Four Dark Devas of Destruction!"

She shoots him a seriously confused look. "Wha-"

I don't give her time to question him and quickly push her out. "Alright Gundham, I'll be back soon!" I close the door behind me. She quirks an eyebrow at me as we make our way down the hall.

"Are you going to explain what he said, or…?"

I shake my head, letting out a small sigh. "He's Gundham… that's all you need to know." We walk for a while in a comfortable silence before I glance over to her. "So… do you have any idea what he wants to talk to us about…?"

She shakes her head. "No, not really… he seemed really excited about it though, so I had a hard time saying no."

I laugh a little. "I bet that's how you got roped into the disciplinary committee, right?"

"Yeah… I just think it's a little hard to go against him, you know? He's very… passionate." She mumbles, looking a little sheepish. "Pretty much a natural born leader… like Junko. It's hard for me not to take orders from someone like that…"

I smile at her, trying my best to ignore the sour feeling that had formed from the mention of her sister's name. "Well, you can certainly pick someone worse to take orders from than Taka!"

We eventually reach classroom 1-A. Thankfully I really don't have to wait long, as everyone else is already gathered there. When Mukuro walks off to talk to Taka, I wander over to Mondo.

"Hey Mondo!" I say, taking a seat beside him.

"Yo, Chi!" He says, smiling over at me. "You got roped into this shit too?"

I laugh a little. "I suppose you can say that… I really hope it's as quick as Mukuro said it would be. I don't want to keep Gundham waiting for long!"

"Keep him waiting..?" He gives me an up-down look, sour look crossing over his face before he chokes it out with a slightly forced grin. "Ah, I gotcha! You're going on a date-"

"M-Mondo!" I squeak, flushing. "That's not it at all! We were just hanging out in my room!"

He raises an eyebrow at me. "Then why the hell are ya wearing that get up?"

"J-Jeez, both you and Gundham acting like that…! No! It's all I had left to wear, all my other clothes are dirty!" I huff, plopping down into the chair next to him. "Am I not allowed to dress like this once in a while too…?"

"No!" He says, a little loudly. "I mean… course you're allowed to! It's just sorta weird to see ya in somethin' like that, but you look real nice in it!" I stare at him for a bit before he smacks his head on his desk. "Awh fuck, I mean-!"

I can't help the laugh I let out. "Mondo, its fine! Thank you for the compliment!"

He lifts his head up slightly and is about to say something when Taka loudly clears his throat at the front of the room. I turn my attention to him immediately and shoot him a small smile.

He returns it in kind before crossing his arms. "Hello all! I thank you for taking time out of your Saturday to come and hear me out!"

"It's not like you gave us a choice!" Leon grouses with a yawn. "You threatened to give me detention for a week if I didn't get out of bed! What the hell are we doing here anyway?"

"I'll be getting to that!" Taka says. "Now… in my research of popular culture this past month, I've been working on ways for us to become more bonded as a class! I've had many ideas, but none that would have been fruitful in any sort of way!" He paces a little as he speaks, but then stops with a grin. "But last night, I had a breakthrough! I'm unsure why I hadn't reached this conclusion before, but I feel like it's due in part to-"

"Please get on with it." Celes grinds out, twin drills missing from her head. " _Some_ of us aren't ready for the day yet!"

"Seriously!" Junko whines. "It's bad enough I let you all see me without makeup, so the less time it takes, the better!"

Taka sighs. "Fine! To put it simply, every single show that I've studied has some sort of beach scene in it! And after said beach scene, the characters are much closer because of the experience! Which is why I'm proposing…" He takes a piece of chalk from the podium, quickly and neatly writing a single phrase on the board.

**Ultimate Beach Bonding Trip!**


	10. Obvious

The entire class stares at Taka with looks of apprehension and confusion.

"A beach trip…?" I question.

"Yes!" He affirms, grinning over at us. "In the spirit of team bonding and the formation of friendships, I feel like this is the best course of action for us to take! We'll be going on a three-day beach trip to the coast, where we'll be staying at a beautiful hotel overlooking the beach!"

"So… you're serious?" Leon questions. "This isn't some lame attempt at a practical joke?"

Taka shakes his head. "I never joke when it comes to school matters!"

"Oh my gosh!" Hina cheers, clearly excited. "Swimming?! At the beach!? I didn't think I'd get to go before summer went away...!"

Hiro nudges Leon, grinning and (loudly) whispering over to him. "Dude. Beach babes…!"

Byakuya sighs, clearly not as excited as most of the other people here. "Is this… mandatory?"

At that moment, Shirabe strolls into the room and hands Taka a stack of papers. "As of right now, yes."

He glares over at our teacher. "What do you mean?"

Shirabe smirks. "This has just been authorized as an official school outing from this Monday until Thursday morning. You all are being excused from your classes and assignments so that you can go bond as a class. I'm not even mad that I had to come in on my day off for this!"

Byakuya doesn't respond, but the scowl on his face speaks volumes of his discontent. Sayaka raises her hand, and Shirabe nods toward her.

"The headmaster really gave us the okay to miss almost a week of school…?" She questions, clearly apprehensive. "Just so we can go goof off?"

"You aren't going to be goofing off." Shirabe says with comically raised eyebrows. "You're going to be learning all sorts of things!"

"Like what?" Mondo snarks, clearly not excited about the prospect of having to learn something at the beach.

He scratches his chin. "Let's see… how to ride a jet ski, how to scuba dive without pissing off the wildlife, handy tips and tricks not to lose your swimsuits in the ocean… you know, the important stuff!"

The dubious looks everyone sends him are almost tangible. He frowns. "What? I'm serious!"

Everyone's attention wanders, classroom filling with excited chatter over our impromptu trip. I glance over to Mondo. "You don't seem to be really excited about this…"

He sighs. "Nah, don't get me wrong, I fucking love the beach! It's just that…" He glances toward Taka, who's currently talking with Shirabe. "I jus' got this shitty feeling he's gonna find a way to suck the fun out of it."

I huff and poke him in the arm. "Oh, come on Mondo! Shirabe just listed some pretty cool things! I'm sure it'll be fun!"

"…You're prolly right." He grins over to me, suddenly pumped up. "Alright! We're gonna go raise some hell!"

"I wouldn't go that far!" I say, laughing at his antics. I turn my attention to the front of the class when Taka clears his throat.

"Alright everyone, it seems I've come across an issue!" He frowns, crossing his arms. "The charter bus we've rented is able to accommodate twenty-two people, plus our driver! This simply won't do!"

"Why not?" Makoto questions with a tilt of his head.

"If there are open seats…" Taka starts, grimacing slightly. "Then people will be able to sit off by themselves! That won't help us to bond at all!"

"C-Can't we just fill those empty seats with our luggage?" I question. It's hard trying not to smile at the perfect's silly concerns.

"Absolutely not!" He bellows. "If we were to try that, someone," He glances over to Byakuya. "Would more than likely try to barricade themselves off from the rest of us!"

"So basically what you're saying is that we need six more people." Sakura states with a sigh.

"Actually," Shirabe cuts in. "Only five. I'll be going to supervise after all."

"Oh, oh! I have someone who can come!" Junko yells out, waving her hand in the air.

Taka nods. "Alright, go get them! We need to discuss details immediately!"

She rolls her eyes. "Fine! But I'm stopping to do my makeup on the way!" With that she sweeps out of the room, and I try not to giggle when Mondo calls her a "dumb broad" under his breath.

Taka makes a note on the paper Shirabe had given him. "Alright, that's one down! Anyone else?"

"A-Ahm…" I raise my hand. "I may know a few people who wouldn't mind going…"

"Enough to fill the rest of the seats?!" He says, looking at me expectantly.

"Er… yes?" I squeak. "I probably do know enough people, but they may-"

"Very well!" He yells, cutting me off. "Go and gather them up! We'll wait here!"

"R-right!" I stand and make my way to the door, hoping I could get enough people to come with me.

Just as I'm outside the classroom though, he calls out to me. "Oh Chihiro?" I glance back to see him peeking his head out the door. "Be sure to grab Frederick along with them please! We can't leave your new pet unattended!"

I smile and nod at him. "Of course!" I turn and quickly make my way down the hall.

 _"I wonder who I can ask…?"_ I muse. _"Chiaki already told me that she wasn't the best at swimming… Would Gundham want to come?"_ The beach doesn't seem like a place he'd really want to go, if I'm being honest. His skin is pale, I don't think he's particularly athletic... he'd stick out like a sore thumb.

 _"_ _ _Still though, I'd really like it if he came with…"__ Deciding to ask him anyway, I head back to my room first.

I open the door and see Gundham sitting in the same spot as when I left. He glances over to me. "Ah, it's about time mortal! What did the walking corpse want with you?"

"Actually," I start, grabbing Frederick's leash from the counter. "She brought us out at our class rep's request. He was telling us that we're going on a beach trip this Monday!"

"Is that so?" He says, raising an eyebrow. "It would seem fortune has smiled upon you all! You are, of course, bringing your beast… correct?"

"Ah, yes!" Frederick gets up from his place on the floor and gives me a greeting lick. I laugh, and take the opportunity to hook him up. I turn to Gundham. "But… do you want to come with?"

My question seems to catch him off guard. "What…?"

"Y-Yeah!" I say, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. "You see… there are twenty-two seats on the bus, but only seventeen of us going… and Junko already said she has someone who'll go, so we only need four more people! S-So, do you want to…?"

He stares at me for a while, causing my face to heat up. "I-It's okay if you _don't_ want to of course, I just thought-"

"No, it's fine." He says after a while. "Simply… unexpected." He smiles at me… not a smirk, but a real actual smile. "I… would be happy to come."

I can't help the smile that breaks out on my face, though I'm certain my face is still red. "Really!? Oh, I'm so glad!" I swipe my keys and phone off the table. "W-Who else do you think would be willing to come with…?"

He lets out a low laugh and stands. "I believe there isn't a mortal who would be inconvenienced by a trip to the beach!" The Dark Devas all climb up and perch themselves on their owner. "Though, I do believe the she-cat would be pleased if you invited her. She's quite fond of you."

I nod, grateful for the idea. "So we'll invite Sonia! Let's go find her!"

* * *

Sonia was happy to join us, but finding two other people to join along was a task and a half. Hajime had originally agreed to come along, but we passed by Junko and a white-haired boy in the hall, and he immediately changed his mind when the boy said he was going along. I didn't bother to question him.

"So… who else should we ask?" I question, glancing up at my two companions. "We still need two more people…"

"Hmm…" Sonia puts her finger to her lips. "Maybe Peko would like to join us? Of course Fuyuhiko would have to come if she did, since she refuses to leave his side."

"I do not think they'd be able to join us at the beach." Gundham muses, crossing his arms. "I recall the small mortal complaining about some sort of far-away meeting with his father."

She frowns. "Ah... I had forgotten about that. It's too bad, a trip to the beach would have been good for them!"

"Did you say beach!?"

I whip my head around to see two very different, but equally excited faces smiling at me; Souda and Ibuki. "O-Oh, hi you guys…"

"Chihiromon, is it true!?" Ibuki leans in and gets uncomfortably close to my face. "Are you really fo sho gonna go to the beach!?"

"Y-Yeah…" I say, backing up slightly. "We were actually looking for two more people to come with us-"

"I know all that already!" Souda says, clearly pumped. "I bumped into Hajime, and he explained it all to me!"

Ibuki huffs and punches him in the arm. "Ibuki didn't hear it directly, though! She overheard them just now and decided to follow the Sharkie!"

I smile at my two oddball friends. "Well… do you two want to come with us? It would really help out if you did!"

"Are you kidding!?" Souda says, slinging an arm around my shoulder, Ibuki doing the same on my other side. "Who could refuse such a heartfelt invitation!? I'm definitely in!"

"Beach~!" Ibuki cheers. "Beach beach beach! Man, if I were writing a song right now I'd call it "I'm so Totally Pumped that I Get to Ditch School to Play With a Manta Ray," and it would be a smash hit!"

Sonia giggles at their antics. "Oh, I'm certain we'll have an amazing time! Maybe I'll be able to recreate the actual Novoselic castle this time?"

Gundham laughs a little. "A wishful thought she-cat… but with how complicated your bastion of a home is, I'm sure it'll be a lost cause."

I sigh. "Alright guys, let's just get to the classroom. I-I think I've kept them waiting long enough."

Ibuki and Souda keep their arms linked around me all the way to the classroom, Gundham and Sonia trailing behind only slightly. Ibuki slings the door to the classroom open. "He-llo everyone! Ibuki Mioda is here, no need to fear!"

Souda glances to her. "I think you said that backwards!"

She tilts her head. "!raef ot deen on ,ereh si adoiM ikubI !enoyreve oll-eH"

"Was that even English!?" He screeches.

Mondo laughs from his place at the back of the classroom. "Nice job Chi, you sure know how to pick 'em! This is gonna be awesome!"

"Awh, thanks man!" Souda says, grinning over to him.

"I was talking about the backward-talking chick." Mondo deadpans.

"So cruel…!"

I sigh and push those two in so that Sonia, Gundham, and I could get into the room. I smile over at Taka. "I-I'm sorry for taking so long…"

Junko groans loudly from her seat… on the white-haired boy's lap. "You took forever! What didja hafta suck-"

Taka laughs loudly, cutting her off. "Do not worry Chihiro! I'm simply glad you brought friends like you had said. But…" He glances behind me. "Where is Frederick?"

"Frederick?" I glance out the door, seeing the large dog wasn't there. I tilt my head. "Did he stop to pee…?"

"Oh, I think so!" Sonia chirps. "I think he just left not too long ago actually… right before we ran into Ibuki and Souda!"

"Kay, so…" Hina starts, staring at me more than confused. "Who's Frederick?"

"Oh!" I say, smiling slightly. "He's my new dog!"

"And a wicked fucking cool one at that!" Mondo laughs.

Junko snorts. "I bet it's ugly."

"Awh, I can't wait to see him!" Hina says. "I absolutely love doggies! They're so cute!"

"Do ya know what kind he is?" Leon asks, curiosity piqued. "Prolly some small breed, right?"

I do my best to keep from laughing. "Actually…" I hear a loud bark come from the hallway, and I hurry back to peek my head out. "Oh, there you are Frederick, over here!"

He barks and sprints in my direction, picking up speed with every step. He's coming pretty fast…

Too fast actually!

"F-Frederick, _no_! Slow down…!" I yell.

But it's too late.

I barely manage to dive out of the way as he rockets into the classroom and makes a flying leap for Taka, knocking down the podium as he pins the boy down to give him kisses. The entire class, aside from a select few, stare at the scene in shock.

"W-What the fuck?!" Souda yells out.

Toko grabs her braids and stands from her desk with a clatter. "W-What is that monstrosity!? It's eating him…!"

Byakuya, completely unfazed, smirks. "It appears to be a pure bred Leonberger."

Ibuki scratches her head. "Ibuki is pretty sure he's not made of bread…"

"Oh, my, gosh…" Hina stares at the dog for a bit before a huge grin breaks out on her face. "It's so _cute_ …!" She rushes over to the dog and pulls him off Taka, giving him a large hug. "You're just like a giant teddy bear!" Frederick lets out a bark and nuzzles his face in her breasts, thoroughly enjoying her attention.

Mukuro walks over to me, skeptical look on her face. "I had thought it __was__ a stuffed animal…" She confides, glancing over to the beast with a frown. "So… why did you get something like that?"

I smile up at her. "Long story." I walk over to Taka and offer him a hand, which he gratefully accepts. "A-Are you alright…?"

"Perfectly fine!" He says, brushing off his pants. "He's just excitable is all!"

"Excitable!?" Leon yells. "That thing just took you _down,_ dude! How are you not hurt?"

He shrugs. "He was merely playing! I'm certain if he were trying to hurt me, he would have!"

Hiro gapes at him. "…Wow. He's pretty hardcore, huh?"

"Seriously…" Leon affirms. "He may not be such a stiff after all!"

 _"This beach trip may work for him!"_ I think excitedly, helping Taka put the podium back in its proper place. _"They're already seeing him in a better light…!"_ I glance up to Taka and smile at him, which he returns immediately.

His face goes back to its usual serious expression as he turns back to the class. "Alright everyone, calm down!" I walk back and take a firm hold of Frederick's collar, pulling him off of Hina so we can all give him our undivided attention. "Now that we have a full bus, we can discuss the details of the trip!"

…

The "discussion" continues for about an hour, though we'd only really talked about the actual plans for the first fifteen minutes. The rest of the time was filled with either pointless arguing or excited chatter about the trip. After Taka finally dismisses us, I sigh and scan the key points I had entered into my phone.

**-Meet at the Gate 6 p.m. tomorrow.**

**-Pack the bare minimum.**

**-No snacks on the bus. We'll be stopping for food halfway through.**

**-No alcohol or drugs of any kind allowed on this trip!**

I click my phone's screen off and start walking back to the dorm area, feeling drained all of the sudden. As much as I'd like to take a nap right now… I know I still need to finish my laundry, otherwise I won't have anything to pack.

I grab Frederick's leash, and just as I'm about to set off down the hall, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I glance back to see the very same white-haired boy Junko had invited on the trip smiling at me. His expression is warm enough, but… something's off about him.

"A-Ah, hello…" I greet, trying not to be rude. I feel Frederick tense beside me and immediately I feel even more on-edge than before. "I-Is there something you needed?"

"Hello to you as well!" He says, smiling at me. "I'm sorry if this sounds imposing in any way, but I thought I'd introduce myself to you… since you seem to be pretty good friends with my classmates after all."

"Classmates?" I question. "I didn't know you were in the same class as Hajime and all of them!"

"Oh yes, but it's no surprise to me that I hadn't been mentioned." He laughs a little and continues. "My name's Nagito Komaeda, Ultimate Luckster… or Un-Luckster, if you prefer."

"O-Oh, I'm-"

"Chihiro Fujisaki, Ultimate Programmer." He finishes. "I've already heard a lot about you! You must really be something if you have so many people talking!"

I grimace a little. "W-Who's been talking about me…?"

He laughs a little and waves me off. "Oh, it's not a big deal! Anyway, I had just wanted to introduce myself since we're going to be spending a few days together! I'll see you later, Chihiro!" Without waiting for me to say anything else, he turns and walks away.

 _"W-What was that all about!?"_ I think, watching the boy disappear down the hall. _"If it were anyone else it wouldn't have been weird but… that boy was with Junko, and he's got a really weird vibe coming from him! I don't-"_

"You really should stay away from him!"

I swear I jump a few feet in the air out of fear, and I whip my head around to see Souda standing there. His pointy teeth are visible from how hard he's frowning. "Oh my __god__ _…_ S-Souda! Don't sneak up on people like that!"

"Sorry…" He looks sheepish for a moment, but his expression quickly shifts into a more troubled one. "Seriously though, stay away from him! He's nothing but bad news on so many levels!"

I frown. "I-I had thought as much when Hajime refused to come with us when we saw him with Junko, but… what's wrong with him?"

He sighs and crosses his arms behind his head. "If I could list all the things wrong with that guy, I'd have a fucking book to give you! Just take my word for it and steer clear of him!"

I nod. "I-I'll do my best…"

"Good! Now then, onto what I really came to ask you…" He leans in close and slings an arm around my shoulder. "Could you possibly get Miss Sonia to wear a bikini to the beach!?"

I stare at him for a bit before my face lights up. "H-Huh!?"

"Okay, look!" He says with a huff. "When our class took a trip to an island over the summer, she wore a wet suit whenever she went swimming!"

"I-Isn't that her choice!?" I whisper harshly. If my face were any redder it'd be on fire.

He nods. "It is, but…!" He glances around and starts to whisper. "She was only wearing it because she was afraid of getting a sunburn! If you could just somehow convince her that sun screen would be enough…!"

"I-I really don't feel comfortable with that-" But he only pulls me closer to him, pleading look on his face.

"Please Chihiro!? C'mon, she likes you! There's no way she'll say no!"

I frown and shake my head, but he just keeps begging. "Chihiroooooo! Please!?"

Just as I'm about to tell him no once and for all, I feel the weight of his arm suddenly pulled off of me. I whip my head around to see both Taka and Mondo holding him in the air by his arms.

"Just what do you think you're doing!?"

"I'd think real fucking hard about what you're gonna say next, Kazuichi!"

I look between my three friends frantically, Souda flailing wildly in an attempt to get free. "G-Guys, c'mon! I wasn't doing anything to her, I promise!"

"A likely story!" Taka yells. "Were you at all paying attention to how she looked!? She was absolutely uncomfortable with you touching her like that!"

Mondo puts his face close to Souda's, absolutely terrifying look on his face. "See, you really shouldn't mess with her. I wouldn't want to have to fuck you up…" He squeezes Souda's arm and makes him wince. "If I were you …I'd get to explaining real quick!"

"Chihirooo-!" Souda wails.

"G-Guys! He wasn't doing anything bad! He was just asking me to do something for him, that's all!" I shoot pleading looks to the both of them. "P-Please put him down right now!"

They both frown, but comply with my request. Souda immediately darts behind me once he's free. "What the fuck was that all about!?" He wipes tears from his eyes. "You two are fucking _nuts_!"

Mondo sniffs slightly and straightens out his jacket. "Whatever. Try not to be such a creep from now on."

"I was _not_ being a creep!" He yells indignantly. "Chihiro and I were having a pleasant conversation!"

"I don't believe that for a moment!" Taka yells, pointing at him. "The look on your face speaks volumes of your guilt!"

"G-Guys, stop it!" I say, trying to diffuse the situation. "It's not that big of a deal!"

"Just like that other thing, right?" Mondo shoots me a pointed look. Taka looks confused at the comment, but doesn't question it.

I sigh, feeling irritated all of the sudden. "No, not like that at all! This was absolutely harmless, and I was about to refuse him on my own!"

"But Chihiro…" Taka starts. "I was simply trying to help you-"

I huff and grab Frederick's leash, turning away from the two boys. "I-I don't need to be protected from my friend, you two! I am _not_ a baby to be coddled, and I'm perfectly capable of handling certain things by myself!"

Without waiting for a response from either of them, I quickly turn away and stalk down the hall, Frederick easily matching my brisk pace.

"Wait, Chihiro-!"

"Chi, seriously-!"

I hear Taka and Mondo call out to me, but I really don't want to hear anything from either of them at this point. I quickly hop onto Frederick's back and he takes off, putting a significant amount of distance between us and them in a very short amount of time.

* * *

Even though I'm much farther away now, I can still clearly hear Mondo and Taka yelling at each other from where I'm standing in the dorm area. _"Oh, great…"_ I think, hopping off the dog. _"I started an argument between them because I had to go and act like a brat… way to go, Chihiro."_ Just as Mondo had agreed to try and get along better with him too!

Frederick barks and licks me on the cheek. "Thanks boy… but I sorta messed up. I should apologize to both of them later."

Not wanting to waste any more time, I make a quick pit stop to pick up my laundry so that I can actually do something productive with my day. I spend the next hour or so folding and hanging all my clothing, leaving out a few select articles to wear on the trip. Once I'm done, I can't help but think about what happened earlier.

 _"I really was acting like a brat…"_ I sigh openly, causing Frederick to look up at me from his place on the floor. _"I hope they didn't get into it too badly… maybe I should have stayed and heard out what they were going to say? They sounded pretty angry at each other from what I heard…"_

...This is actually bothering me a lot. Maybe I should go check on them; for peace of mind's sake.

Resolving myself to go and apologize to my friends, I zip up my suitcase and grab my keys from the table. "I'll be right back, Frederick!"

I turn on my heel and rush out the door. Just as I get out of the room however, I slam hard into someone and send both of us crashing to the floor.

"O-Ow…" I rub my back as I sit up. I glance down to see someone I hadn't expected. "T-Taka?"

Indeed, just below me is one of the boys I was rushing out to see. He looks up at me with a pained smile as he gingerly rubs the back of his head. "A-Ah, Chihiro! What a coincidence that I'd see you here!"

"Coincidence…?" I question, shooting the boy a dubious look. "W-We're in front of my room!"

"A-About that…" The expression on his face is almost comical from how embarrassed he looks. "Before I explain myself, do you mind… getting off of me?"

It takes me a couple of beats, but I end up glancing down to see what he meant. As it turns out… I'm sort of straddling on him.

Oh.

"I-I'm so sorry!" I rocket off of him, standing so quickly I'm afraid I'll fall down again. "I-I really didn't realize I was…!"

 _"He didn't see anything, but…!"_ I feel my face heat up to an extreme; even my ears feel hot. _"Oh man, I can't believe I was on top of him like that!"_

Taka doesn't look much better. His face is as red as mine feels! "It's quite alright! I-It was simply an accident!" He stands and brushes off his trademark white uniform, taking in a deep breath in an attempt to compose himself.

We stand in a slightly uncomfortable silence for only a moment before I force a question out. "S-So… what were you doing here again?"

"Ah, right!" He says, relaxing a little. "I'd actually like to apologize for earlier… I was completely out of line, and I sincerely apologize!"

"E-Eh?" I question.

He huffs. "I shouldn't have jumped the gun in prying that delinquent off of you! I was only attempting to assist you… and, well, I had ended up assuming the worst of him. I'd apologized to him after that brute Mondo and I had finished arguing, but for whatever reason I had trouble coming up with the words to apologize to you! I've been standing out here for a while trying-"

"Hold on a second." I say with a frown. "It's really not something you need to apologize for! I-I was the one in the wrong, I didn't need to act like such a brat when I knew you two were only trying to help! S-So really, I'm the one who should be saying sorry!"

"Nonsense!" He yells out, crossing his arms. "I was too far out of line for it to be your fault! Now please, accept my apology!"

Not wanting to argue about an apology, I nod. "A-Alright…"

He lets out a small sigh of relief. "Good… I certainly hope that we don't have something like this happen again, apologizing to a friend is much more nerve-wracking than I would have thought!"

I let out a quiet laugh. "I-I really don't understand how…"

"There's much more pressure than when you're apologizing to someone you don't have a personal connection with!" He says, thoughtful look on his face. "I was sincerely worried that you wouldn't accept my apology if I didn't word it correctly!"

I shake my head a little. "I would have accepted it either way… it's not like what had happened was life-shattering! Just a small misunderstanding."

"Still…" He trails off. "Ah, no matter! What's done is done! I'll leave you to whatever it is you were going to do! Goodbye, Chihiro!"

With that he quickly strides away, leaving me on my own.

 _"Well… that was strange."_ I think with a sigh. _"At least it's cleared up between us now!"_

I glance around and wonder where my biker friend could be. I walk over to his room and try the buzzer, but he doesn't answer. "I guess he's not here…?" I turn around with a sigh and walk back to my room. _"I may as well try to talk to him later… I don't think I'd be able to find him right now. For all I know he could be out on his bike!"_

I shut the door behind me and walk back to my bed. "A nap sounds pretty good right now… nothing better to do anyway." I flop down on my bed with a yawn, and I'm out cold within minutes.

* * *

I wake up and stretch my arms out with a content sigh. "It's been a while since I slept that well…" Normally I end up regretting naps, but this was just too nice! I grab my phone off the nightstand and click the screen on, wondering what time it is.

…It's six-thirty at night.

…

Here comes the regret.

I let out a groan and stand. _"So much for being well rested tomorrow…"_ I straighten out my now-wrinkled dress and slip on a pair of shoes. _"Just because I slept the day away doesn't mean I should skip dinner!"_

I take a quick moment to put some food in Frederick's bowl before I leave the room. On the short trip to the dining hall, I can't help but wonder where Mondo is. _"I really still do need to apologize to him…"_ My stomach growls, making me blush slightly. _"…I-I think that can wait until I get something to eat, at least."_

I quickly make my way into the dining hall and get in line for food. I would make something, but I'm still pretty much half-asleep right now. I order a philly cheesesteak sandwich, only waiting a moment for it to come out. I take the tray with a smile and walk over to one of the empty tables, plopping down with an audible thump.

I stare at my food for a bit before I'm broken out of my blank state by someone sitting down across from me. "O-Oh… hey Mondo." I greet, glancing over to him.

"Hey." He says with a sigh, looking over at me. "What happened to you? You look half-dead."

I frown. "Have you ever taken a nap and felt really good at first, but then felt like going right back to sleep as soon as you start moving?"

He lets out a small snort. "Every single time I take one… hey, hold still for a sec." He reaches across the table and touches my head.

This startles me to alertness. "H-Hey, what-"

"Your hair was sticking up everywhere, Chi." He laughs, retracting his hand.

I blush a little. It hadn't occurred to me to check that before I left. "T-Thanks." I say, sipping my soda a little.

He grins at me. "Don't mention it."

We eat in a comfortable silence for a while before I work up the nerve to apologize. "H-Hey, so-"

"I already got a feeling about what you're gonna say." He says, mouth full. "Water under the bridge, kay? You n' I both coulda acted better."

I smile and let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding, continuing to eat my food.

_"Now I get what Taka meant earlier… that really was pressure filled."_


	11. Day One, Part One!

"…hiro-"

I snuggle closer to the warm pile of fluff known as Frederick, trying desperately to go back to sleep.

"…Chihiro…"

"Mmph… be quiet…" I grumble.

"Chihiro!"

I rocket off the dog, startled awake by someone loudly yelling my name. "Hah, what-!?" I frantically look around to be met with several amused stares.

Sonia, who'd been calling my name this entire time, shoots me a small smile from her seat next to Frederick and I. "We're here Chihiro, rise and shine!"

I quickly look out the window to see we're parked in front of a nice looking resort motel. "Oh… right." I blush a little at having to be woken up by my friend and stand, Frederick hopping up as soon as I'm off him. "Sorry Sonia…"

She giggles. "Think nothing of it Chihiro! You'd looked so tired, I had considered asking your large friend Mondo to carry you inside!"

I flush even more and grab Frederick's leash. "W-Well, I'm glad you managed to wake me up… what time is it?"

She sighs. "Nine. The traffic here was much worse than Taka had anticipated, I'm afraid!" She stands and brushes her skirt off. "So all there really is for us to do is get to our rooms and get settled in!"

"Good…" I mumble, wanting urgently to go back to sleep. I lead Frederick off the bus and join everyone else crowded in front of it.

"Alright everyone!" Shirabe says, stifling a yawn. "So here's how this is gonna work! You're each going to pair off for rooms! Once you have your friend decided, you're going to come to me to get a room key! Any questions?"

"I do… can the rooms be co-ed?" Leon says, winking over to Sayaka. She huffs and rolls her eyes, but there's an unmistakable blush present on her face. "We kind of already made some arrangements before we came here."

Shirabe laughs. "Hey, as long as both parties are willing, I'm not going to stop you! Just don't do anything that you're going to regret later, alright?"

"Wowee!" Ibuki yells. "You guys got a super fun teacher! Ours is such a stiff…! Ibuki is jealous!"

Souda crosses his arms. "Irresponsible is more like it…"

With that, people start to break off into groups. Mukuro immediately walks over to me. I shoot her a confused glance. "You aren't going to ask Junko to room with you?"

She shakes her head with a smile. "I assumed you'd probably be the most comfortable rooming with me… not to mention I'm more than certain she'll be wanting to room with _him._ "

I glance over her shoulder to see Junko's arm slung around Nagito. The look on his face is a very strange mix between sheer disgust and bliss. "Can you… explain what's up with them?"

"…Once we get to our room, yes." She says with an uncharacteristic scowl on her face.

Mukuro may not wear her emotions on her sleeve, but she's started showing what she actually feels a lot more over the past month. Any discontent she may have was normally kept to herself, only tell being that the small smile was replaced with a small frown… which is why it's extremely worrying to see her outright scowling.

I nod. "A-Alright then…" We both walk over to Shirabe, Mukuro's scowl disappearing as she watches Frederick trot beside me.

"You know," She starts. "He really is cute if you get past the fact that he's a miniature horse… maybe I should try and get a pet?" I'm about to agree, but she frowns with a huff. "…No, never mind. Junko wouldn't like it if it got into her things."

I sigh and mumble under my breath. "Maybe you should do something just for yourself once in a while…"

I know she heard me because of how she tenses beside me, but she tries to act like she didn't. After pushing our way through the crowd of classmates, Shirabe grins broadly at us. "Ah, I had figured you two would pair up! Here ya go, little lady." He deposits a small key with a tag reading "101" on it on my hand. "Since you two are the ones who came up first, you get the best room!"

Mukuro raises an eyebrow. "They aren't all the same?"

He sighs. "Well… I tried to make them all the same. But two of the rooms are, how you say… awesome?" He winks at us. "Naturally I'm getting one of them."

I glance behind him and see Sakura and Hina walk inside, Hina cheerfully slinging a key around. Mukuro seems to have noticed this as well and shakes her head at our teacher. "…You know, you really shouldn't play favorites Shirabe."

He freezes. "Damn- I mean dang, caught already!" He laughs and waves us off. "Well, it's not like it matters much. What they don't know won't hurt them, right?"

I can't help but internally sigh at my teacher's logic. "R-Right… Well, thanks Shirabe! I promise we won't ruin anything!"

"I sincerely doubt I need to worry about you two in regards to that." He takes a bite out of his snack and motions for us to go inside. I pull Frederick's leash towards the resort, Mukuro and I walking side-by-side into the large building.

"So…" I pull out the key from my pocket once we reach the room, eyeing it thoughtfully. "How do you think it's going to be different from the rest?" I shove the key in the lock, curious to see it.

"I don't know." She sighs. "It's probably just a little bit bigger. I sincerely doubt Shirabe would make such a large oversight as to get two overly extravagant rooms-" Mukuro cuts herself off and starts to gape, just like I am. "Are you serious…?"

Apparently Shirabe's oversight was __extremely__ large. The room is massive, with two large queen-sized beds and ample space between them. There's a kitchenette in the corner and a large door leading to what I assume is the bathroom… and a balcony with stairs that lead directly to the beach.

She smacks her forehead. "He couldn't have gotten anything smaller?!"

I'm completely floored by how extravagant it is. "It's bigger than my old house…!"

As I unhook Frederick and let him explore his new surroundings, Mukuro tosses the small bag she was carrying on to the bed. "Gah, whatever… let's just go and get the rest of our things."

"Right…" I mumble, stifling a yawn. I make sure to lock the door as we head out once more. Mukuro and I hurry down the hall and back out to the lobby where our group's luggage has been piled up. After taking a minute to rifle through it, we manage to pick out our stuff.

"Hey, Chihiro!"

I turn around to see Makoto and Taka approaching us. "Oh, hi guys…" I heave one of my bags onto my shoulder. "Get settled in yet?"

"Yup!" Makoto cheers. "Taka had actually suggested we help other people get their stuff to their rooms… do you two need any help?"

"No, we're fine-" Mukuro stops herself short when Makoto grabs her bag out of her hands and grins at her. He doesn't even give her a chance to reply as he bolts down the hall.

She gapes a bit in his direction before taking off after him. "Makoto!" She yells, blushing furiously. "You don't even know which room- Makoto!"

I can't help the giggle I let out once they're out of earshot. "…They're sort of cute, huh? The way they act together I mean."

Taka tilts his head thoughtfully. "I was under the impression Mukuro wasn't fond of Makoto! How can they be cute?"

"What gave you that idea?" I ask, glancing up to the tall boy.

"Because that's what Makoto said!" He nods as he says this. "He'd confided in me that he really hopes to figure out why Mukuro is always so distant towards him during our trip!"

I sigh. "Oh boy… it was bound to happen sooner or later I suppose. Poor Mukuro's finally been had."

"Had?" Taka questions.

I nod. "Mukuro actually doesn't hate Makoto at all…" I lower my voice a little. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but I'm certain at this point that she has a crush on him… which is why she acts so strangely around him."

He stares at me for a few beats before his face erupts into a blush. "C-Crush…!? As in… wanting to date him!?"

I furrow my brow a little at his reaction. "Y-Yes…? Is it so surprising?"

"Completely!" He yell-whispers, looking mortified. "I wouldn't have imagined that Mukuro of all people would become enamored with someone… those types of things are completely distracting from school in every way possible!"

"Taka…" I start, doing my best to smile. "It's the same principle with having a friend… it's just a lot deeper is all. How is that distracting?"

"That's…" He scowls as he tries to think up an answer.

I shake my head at the boy. "Oh come on Taka, it's not like her feelings are just random! She's spent a lot of time with Makoto in the past month… granted it was in a group, but still!" I adjust my bag on my shoulder. "Even then, you don't have to know someone very well to think they're cute."

He seems shocked at this. "You… don't? It's not strange?"

I laugh. "No, silly! There's got to be at least one person you've met in your life that you thought was cute… it could even have been someone you simply passed in the street!"

"…Is that so." He says lamely. "Well… we should probably get a move on then. I imagine that you're tired." He promptly picks the bag off my shoulder with ease and grabs my second one off the floor.

"H-Hang on Taka!" I squeak, grabbing hold of the bag's strap. I was going to press him about the sudden topic change, but I really don't want to be babied again. "I can handle it! You don't need to-"

"I'd like to help you." He says, looking right into my eyes. "Is that… an issue?"

"U-Uhm…" My breath catches at how serious his voice sounds. "Well, no. I just don't want you to be troubled…"

He smiles at me and suddenly his usual demeanor is back in place. "It's no trouble at all. We're friends! I'd like to offer you help whenever possible… now then, which room are we heading to?"

"A-Ah… room one o' one…" I say. He nods and starts down the hall and I follow silently after, trying my hardest to pretend that my heart didn't just do little flip-flops from what just happened.

…Nope. It definitely did not.

* * *

After stopping Makoto from holding Mukuro's bag hostage as she chased him around the resort in an effort (?) to get it back, the four of us managed to get back to the room. Makoto promptly began to pout about how massive it was, while Taka decided to file a complaint with Shirabe later.

Just as they're about to leave though, Makoto turns back to me. "Oh hey, uhm… can I talk to you for a second?" He looks to Taka. "Alone?"

I nod and follow him out into the hall as Taka yells after us to be quick. After I'm certain we're a safe distance away from the door, I speak up. "So… what is it that you needed to talk about?"

He frowns and scratches the back of his head, looking a little sheepish. "Uhm… look, I'm just gonna come right out and say this…" His bites his cheek a little. "Do you think you could get Mukuro to hang out with me alone tomorrow?"

Whelp, didn't see this coming. I try to feign ignorance. "B-But what brought this on Makoto? We were going to hang out in a group..."

He snorts. "Chihiro, I already know Taka had told you about my plans to find out Mukuro's issue with me."

I frown a little. "He didn't say he did though…?"

"It's _Taka._ " He deadpans. "I'd have been more surprised if he _didn't_ tell you after what I pulled."

I can't help the little laugh I let out. "Okay, point taken. So what are you planning to do?"

He shuffles his feet. "You know… I'm not too sure. But!" He crosses his arms. "I know I'll think of something! So could you please help me?"

"Well… sure." I say after a moment. "I'll try to get you two a moment alone, alright? I'm just gonna tell you in advance that she doesn't hate you… s-she's just a little shy."

"But at this point she should be fine with me!" He huffs. "I mean, you and her are pretty much best friends at this point, and yet I can't even get two words out of the girl without her getting awkward on me! I don't get it at all!"

Oh, what a predicament. "I'm sure it'll be fine Makoto! J-Just… don't push her too much, alright?"

"I wasn't gonna!" He grins, slinging an arm around my shoulder. "I just want her to know that I'm not scary or anything! It makes me uncomfortable that she's uncomfortable around me, so I'm just gonna do my best to fix that!"

"R-Right…" I say. "Well… I'll do my best too, alright?"

"Thanks Chihiro!" He pulls me into a quick hug. "Okay, I should probably go get Taka now… wouldn't want him to think we're doing something that would shame the school!"

I snort. "I don't think that's going to be an issue."

* * *

After sending Makoto and Taka on their way, Mukuro and I were finally able to get ready to sleep. One quick shower and change later, I plopped down next to Mukuro as she was reading a book.

"So…" I start. "You said you'd explain…?"

She snaps her book shut with a sigh. "Yeah… I did. Can't wait until tomorrow?" I shake my head. "I had thought not."

She sets the book down on the nightstand. "So… the relationship between Nagito Komaeda and Junko is both completely confusing and absolutely disturbing. I guess you'd be able to label them as a couple, but… it's a lot more twisted than a normal relationship."

I prop up my head on my elbows as I listen intently to her. "Does it have anything to do with people warning me to stay away from him?'

"…Sort of." She says. "He's… not right. Not only does he practically worship the people who come to this school, but he has some sort of strange obsession with the ideals of hope and despair."

"Hope and despair…?" I echo.

"Yeah." She sighs. "I don't really understand this, but he feels like the Ultimates' "hope" should trump any "despair" the world has to throw at us. I was really only half-listening to Junko and his discussion, but for some reason he thinks she's the embodiment of despair… or something. He absolutely hates her."

"…W-What?" I ask. "Then why does he go near her?"

For the second time today, she scowls. "Like I said… it's confusing and disturbing. If I had to guess, I'd say it's a case of "opposites attract" in the most extreme sense imaginable." I can almost feel the distaste coming off of her. "What's worse is that Junko goes along with it! It's like a game to both of them, and he's really only making her behavior worse. She does her best to be as bad as possible… just for him."

"T-That's… unsettling." I say after a while.

"Seriously!" She grumbles, flopping back on her bed. "Not to mention they go at each other like rabbits in every single place they can! I can't tell you the amount of times I almost saw…!" She buries her face in her hands. "I really, _really_ don't like him."

"I can imagine why…" I say, flopping back next to her. "Have you tried talking to her about it…?"

 _"Not that it would do anything."_ I grouse internally.

"I have…" She huffs. "But of course she ignores me! She's crazy about him in the worst kind of way! I've found _chains-_ "

"O-Okay, no!" I squeak. "Too much, way, _way_ too much information!"

She looks sheepish. "S-Sorry… the point is, he isn't normal!"

I almost want to tack on the fact that Junko isn't exactly a full picnic basket either, but I know pretty well that she wouldn't believe me. "Well… in the end, you can't really do much. M-Maybe just let things run their natural course?"

"It's really all I can do… I hate it, but I'll just have to do my best to ignore it." Mukuro sighs and sits up. "Anyway, we should get to sleep. We've got a big day ahead of us…"

I pop up off the bed. "You're right! Anyway, try not to let it bother you too much. I don't want your sister's poor decision making to affect your mood… we're here to have fun!"

I catch a glimpse of a smile as she clicks the light off. "Goodnight, Chihiro."

I slide into my bed. "Night!"

* * *

The following morning, I make sure to wake up at a reasonable hour so that I can feed Frederick and get ready for the day. I pull on a green tank-top and a white skirt, pause for a moment to make myself look halfway decent, and quickly slip on a pair of sandals. I catch up to Mukuro in the hall and we both make our way into the lobby.

"Alright everyone!" Shirabe yells out once everyone's gathered. "Here's how today is gonna work: you're all free to do what you want until five o' clock! At that point we're all going to be participating in a scuba-diving lesson together in the spirit of team-bonding, so don't be late! Be sure that you have a bathing suit too; you can't go diving in clothes!"

Once his announcement is finished, people all begin to splinter off.

"Yo, Chi!" I whip my head around to see Mondo grinning at me, Ibuki and Souda talking happily behind him. "Wanna hit the arcade with us?"

I glance back at Mukuro, who's just standing there with a blank expression on her face. "U-Uhm… in a bit, maybe." I walk up to him and talk in a low voice. "I promised I'd help Makoto try to get Mukuro alone, so…"

"Say no more." He laughs. "Jus' show up when ya can 'kay? It won't be as fun without ya!"

I smile a little and turn away from him, heading over to Mukuro. "So… what do you want to do first?"

"Huh?" She starts a little. "Oh, uhm… maybe we could go and get a bathing suit? I… don't have one."

I grimace as I realize that I would need one too. I wasn't exactly planning on swimming when I came here. "…That's probably a good idea."

Almost as if he were waiting for a moment like that, Makoto walks up to us. "Hey, do you mind if I go with you guys? Taka's gonna go hang out with Sonia and Gundham in an effort to get to know them better."

"That's fine." I say with a smile. "The more the merrier right?" I glance back to Mukuro, who nods a little. "Great! Then let's get going!"

* * *

The three of us browse the shops along the boardwalk for a while. Mukuro had picked out the very first bathing suit she'd tried on, not even letting Makoto or I see it. I had a much harder time myself; I can't exactly just pick any bathing suit… in all of the shops we'd visited so far, I couldn't find anything I was comfortable enough wearing.

"Chihiro…" Makoto sighs. "I wouldn't have imagined you'd be such a stickler for a swimsuit! Just pick one!"

"I'm sorry, guys." I flush a little. "I hate to keep dragging you around… I think I'll just go off on my own for a while, alright? Go have fun."

"Eh?" Mukuro starts. I see the gears click together in Makoto's head. "But-"

"Mukuro, don't worry about me." I say with a smile. "I'll come and find you once I'm finished, so please go have fun!"

"Alright Chihiro…" Makoto sighs in feigned reluctance. "Promise you'll come find us once you're done?" I nod with a smile, and he nods back. "Good! Come on then Mukuro, let's get going!"

"But Makoto-!" He ignores her protests as he grabs her wrist and proceeds to drag her away from me. She shoots me a look screaming for me not to leave her alone with him, but all I do is smile at her and wave.

Once they're out of sight, I turn on my heel and head into the nearest shop in an effort to actually find a bathing suit good enough to mask my secret. I'm left browsing the vast sea of swimsuits for what feels like forever before I finally feel a tap on my shoulder.

"You may want to try this one."

I whip my head around when I hear that eerily familiar voice; sure enough, it's the same cab driver that was somehow aware of what Chiaki was… and the fact that I'm actually a boy.

I do my best not to scream. "W-What are you doing here!?"

He shrugs. "I'd gotten bored of being a cab driver… I now work in retail."

"T-That doesn't answer my question!" I squeak. "Did you know I was going to be down here…!?"

"Who knows?" He says flatly. "Here… try this one on if you will. I feel like it'll suit you well." He hands me a bikini top with ruffles on it and a skirt-like bottom, both of which are a light shade of green. "Do I need to direct you to the dressing room?"

I grumble in the negative and walk towards the dressing rooms. As much as I wanted to press the strange boy, the bathing suit he handed me was something I could actually wear. I pull it on over my underwear to see that it was a perfect fit.

"I assume you like it? Or should I go and pull something else for you?" He says through the door, scaring me half to death.

I sigh. "N-No… this is fine. Thanks…"

"A word of warning." He starts. I hear a thump on the door, which makes me guess he's leaning on it. "Some of those idiots from that company that spawned Chiaki and I- BioTech I think was their name- were looking for the two of you."

I scowl as I change back into my normal clothing. "And what makes you say that?"

"The fact that they've already come after me." He states blandly. "I'm more than capable of handling them, but I don't think you two are capable of evading them like I am. I suggest you tread lightly."

"H-Hang on!" I say, pausing in the middle of putting my shirt back on. "You mean they're here __and__ at the school?!"

"They've more than likely caught up to me by now, yes." He pauses for a moment. "The girl should be fine so long as she stays within that school. It's you who is in the most danger right now."

I grimace. "…As long as Chiaki is alright for now, nothing else matters. I'm going to be with people during this entire trip, so…"

"What about right now?"

...The monotone in his voice is really bugging me.

"I'm going to meet up with some of my friends after I'm done here." I retort.

"Hm." He grunts. "Well. It doesn't take long for a kidnapping to take place… you may want to be on your guard during that interval. Someone like you is an easy target all alone."

 _"This guy…!"_ He's mocking me, the jerk! I fling the door open to yell at him… but he isn't there. _"Omnipotence **and** disappearing acts? I can't believe this… this jerk!"_ I deflate slightly with a sigh. _"And I still don't even know his name…"_

I approach the counter to pay for the bathing suit, but when I do the cashier looks absolutely scandalized. "I can't believe it! Why would he approach __you__ of all people!?"

I do my best to ignore her snide comment. "W-Who do you mean?"

She sighs dramatically as she checks me out. "Oh my god, the new employee Izuru! He's been working here for a day, and all of our customers are swarming the boy for his opinion! But this is the first time he's actually approached someone! It absolutely blows my mind that he'd go for the tiny type!"

I swipe my card in favor of continuing a pointless conversation. _"At least I have a name now…"_ I take my bag from the chatty girl and walk out the store, hoping to god that I don't ever talk to him again.

* * *

After stopping by the hotel to drop off my purchase and feed Frederick his lunch, I wander around the boardwalk looking for my friends. I wanted to join Mondo, Souda, and Ibuki, but I'm having a really hard time finding the arcade.

I walk for so long that I end up in a completely different area from the one I started out in… one a whole lot sketchier. There are people openly drinking on the street, and more than a few… risqué operations. _"I… don't think it's anywhere around here."_ I think blandly. I make an executive decision to turn back and just have a nap at the hotel, but I'm stopped by a hand on my shoulder.

"Excuse me young miss." I turn around to see a man wearing sunglasses and a leisure suit. "But I couldn't help but notice your looks… would you be interested in some work?"

"E-Eh?" I rapidly shake my head. "Ah, no! I'm actually only here for a few days… a-and I'm sort of meeting up with my friends-"

"It won't be long, promise!" He says, not so convincing smile on his face. "Just need a cute girl for about thirty minutes…"

"I-I'm sorry, but I really have to-!" I try to pull away, but I feel something jab into my back.

"Shut up and come with me, kid." The man says, smile suddenly much more sinister. "My boss really wants to see someone who looks a lot like you… Mr. Chihiro."

My breath catches in my throat. _"Crap…! Izuru wasn't lying!?"_

"…L-Let me go." I manage to breathe out.

"No can do kid." He sighs. "I'm gettin' paid for this. Can't let the quarry escape, ya dig?"

Without waiting for a response, he jabs what I assume to be a gun into the small of my back. "Now, get movin'."

With little other option but to comply, I'm led into a nearby alley. The man quickly pulls out a phone and shoves me deeper in. He keeps the gun pointed at me as he starts to speak. "Yo, boss? I found one of em… Pretty sure he's the little whelp who created that A.I. that gave ya the slip." He pauses. "Naw, the chick ain't here. Why?" I can vaguely hear the person on the other end of the phone yell. "Hey hey, don't get pissy with me! You weren't even sure she went back to this crossdressing little punk!"

As their shouting match continues, I weigh my options. _"I could either stay put and have god knows what done to me… or try to make a run for it."_ I glance to the man, and grimace when I see a vein popping out of his neck as he yells. _"…This isn't looking too great for me right now."_

"God, I really wish you were fucking here right now to show me how to hold a gun to this kid's head!" He shouts. "Seriously, I bet you could show me how to do it better, since you just know _exactly_ what to fucking do, right?!"

The man is positively seething as he angrily throws the phone on the ground and fires off two rounds right in the middle of it. "Geh, that ass…! Tryna tell me how to do my job, little shit can get off his fat ass and do it himself if I ain't good enough!" He rounds on me. His demeanor slowly relaxes as he looks at me, but that only serves to put me on edge.

"Say…" He starts. "Ya know, you really don't look like a dude at all." He takes a step toward me.

I frown, hoping he isn't going to do what I think he is. "W-Well… I am."

He grins maliciously at me as he takes another step. "Somehow… I don' believe ya." Another step. "How could I possibly bring ya in if I'm not sure you're who I'm lookin' for?"

I feel sick to my stomach as he slowly approaches me. I take several steps backward until my back hits the wall. "I-I really am Chihiro though… t-there's no need to verify!"

"See, that's no fun." He says as he closes in. "I'm the kind of guy who likes to see things for himself… and I'll be the judge of whether or not you're the one I'm huntin' for."

I cringe as he gets close to me, hand reaching out to touch my cheek. It's clammy. "Hey, I'm not such a bad guy… who knows? Play you cards right and I may just let ya go free…"

I can't help but tremble. The very thought of this guy touching me anywhere with those disgusting, clammy hands, is enough to make me retch. I want to yell, scream for _someone_ to come and help me… but he still has the gun. I know I can't outrun him… and I know he'll probably just kill me if I get too noisy.

I crush my eyes shut as his hand touches my thigh. "Now, jus' relax little man… let uncle take control, and this won't be bad for you at all-"

"I really think you should let Chihiro go. Now."


	12. Day One, Part Two!

"I really think you should let Chihiro go. Now."

My eyes open wide at the familiar, but completely unexpected voice. "P-Peko!?"

My assailant whips his head around toward the voice at lightning speed. "Che…! Pekoyama!"

"Kanzai." She states, voice like ice. "What is the meaning of this?"

He unpins me from the wall and hurriedly turns to her. "J-Just a little side job, ya know? A mercenary's gotta make a living somehow-!"

"Your living comes from serving the Kuzuryuu clan without question." She snaps. "Were you aware that you're currently attacking a mutual acquaintance of both Master Fuyuhiko and I?" I can't see his face, but his entire body goes rigid. Her gaze hardens. "I see…"

"I-It ain't nothin' like that!" He pulls at his collar a little. "I mean, I was even bargaining to let him go!"

I flinch at the usage of that particular pronoun, but Peko doesn't even blink. Rather, her expression shifts from neutral to a full out glare. "I do not define rape as a bargaining tool!"

"It wasn't gonna be rape! Sure as shit is better than dying right?" He whips his head back toward me, making me flinch. "Right!?"

I can't bring myself to say anything; I'm way too scared to. Peko shoots me a concerned look before leveling her glare back on the man.

"You're a disgrace." She says flatly. "I am aware you do not ask questions as a mercenary, but when your hit goes directly against the family…" She crosses her arms. "I'm warning you. Let Chihiro free this instant, or I will not hesitate to go to Boss Kuzuryuu."

"…" I see a vein bulge out of his neck from his building fury. "Really!? You're threatening to fucking _tattle_ on me, you dumb broad!? I don't take orders from you!" He points his gun at her. "And ya know what? Forget that fucking family too! I'm going solo from here on out, fuck taking orders from some nasty old man and his girly-ass brat!"

"Kanzai…" She says flatly. "You realize if you don't submit and apologize now, you will not be leaving this alley alive."

If this man had any semblance of common sense, he'd back down from just the look in her eye. "…Fuck that!" He reaches back and snatches my wrist up, pulling me to him. He jams the end of the gun into my temple, making me wince. "Either you let me leave, or I'll paint this fucking alley with this kid's brains!"

Peko, who's completely unfazed, simply removes her bamboo sword from its bag on her back… except it's not her bamboo sword. It's a _real_ one. "…You're making a very large mistake."

"Oh _please!_ You don't have the balls to kill someone unless your fucking keeper wants you to!" He lets out a laugh, but I can feel him trembling. "Say, where is the little bitch? Someone should tell him his dog ran away-!" He whistles. "Hey, c'mere ya little brat! I know you gotta be somewhere, so where the fuck are ya!?"

"Right here, asshole!"

In the span of about two seconds, I hear two guns go off. I feel a sharp pain on my right shoulder and something wet on top of my head. The man's grip on me completely slackens as he falls away from me, and I fall to my knees. My ears are ringing, and I'm pretty sure I black out for a second.

What just happened?

"Chihiro!" I hear steps approaching me from behind. Looking up, I see Fuyuhiko crouched in front of me. "Shit… I thought I was cleared to shoot!" He pulls a hankie out of his pocket and wipes at my shoulder. After a moment, he lets out a small sigh. "It looks like it just grazed you..."

"F-Fuyuhiko...?" I manage. "How did…?" I trail off when he wipes something off my head and tosses the handkerchief behind me. When I try to see where he tossed it to, he catches my chin.

"Don't you fucking look back there!" His voice is harsh, but his expression isn't a mean one. He looks back toward Peko, who's standing sort of awkwardly off to the side. "You know what to do here… I'm going to take Chihiro to our room."

"But Fuyu-" He glares at her, leaving no room for her to argue. "…Right." She moves past us, shooting me a small frown as she whips out a phone from her pocket.

"Come on." He stands and holds a hand out to me. "We're staying at a hotel just a few blocks from here."

* * *

Fuyuhiko was quiet during our walk. I was expecting him to question me, but he seemed more concerned with getting to wherever it was he and Peko were staying. After a short while, we got to an even nicer hotel than the one Shirabe had booked for us. The doorman was ready to stop us, but Fuyuhiko just flipped him off and walked right by him.

"Fucking hotel staff…!" He gripes. "I don't need a damn monkey to tell me who I can and can't bring in here!"

I'm about to ask him what he means, but he stops abruptly in front of an elevator. It quickly opens and he pulls me in, hitting the button to the floor just under the top one.

Once the doors are closed, he glances over to me. "Hey, you…" He gives me an up-down look. "…Never mind. You can use the shower in my room once we get up there."

"S-Shower…?" I question. I reach up to feel my hair; there's something crusty in it. _"This is…"_ I put my hand over my mouth and close my eyes, feeling sick all of the sudden.

"H-Hey… It's really not that bad. I mean, the fucker didn't bleed that much-" He smacks his forehead. "No, I meant that-!" He sighs. "Okay, so really I can't give you much consolation on this…"

"I-It's fine." I say, taking a deep breath. "You and Peko saved me… a-and he was going to kill me…"

He nods and looks forward, strange expression on his face. A small silence falls between just in time for the elevator to ping to a stop. He leads me out and swipes a key card to the room just next to the elevator. I don't know exactly how high up we are, but it has a wonderful view of the area; I'm pretty sure I could find my hotel if I tried hard enough.

"Alright…" He sighs and pulls me toward what I assume is a bathroom. "There's a fresh towel on the shelf you can use. I'm going to leave you alone for a while, so don't you fucking leave the room, alright?" I mutely nod. He seems a little reluctant to let my hand go, but after a short moment he does. "Good."

I quickly turn away from him and run into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me as quietly as I can. I hear the door to the room open and slam shut almost as soon as I'm inside.

 _"…I can't believe that actually happened."_ I think sadly. _"And I managed to drag Fuyuhiko and Peko into it too! I should have listened to that weirdo Izuru..."_

I let out a sigh and walk across the overly large bathroom. I completely bypass the sink with the mirror and make a b-line for the shower; I'm not sure I could stomach seeing another person's blood crusted to my hair. _"I'm surprised that I'm this calm as it is… not that I'm complaining."_ I frown. _"Am I a bad person for not being more… shook up?"_ I quickly undress and take a look at my clothes, breathing out a sigh of relief when I see that they somehow managed to remain blood-free.

As I shower, I end up getting lost in thought. _"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do in this situation. The guy who attacked me was working in Fuyuhiko's "family" right? So what's to say that they're not…?"_ I shake my head. _"No, if they were working with him, then they wouldn't have saved me and done… that. Still though…"_ I glance around the room. _"Just what are they doing here anyway? I'm not sure how much I like all these people coincidentally showing up…"_

Freshly washed and in a much better mood, I step out of the stall. _"Strange coincidences aside, I'm really happy that they came along when they did. That man obviously wasn't going to take no for an answer, even though he knew I was a boy!"_ I pause in the middle of toweling off. _"…Wait. He was practically screaming about me and Chiaki to his boss. Just when did they… show up?"_

A sudden knock comes from the door, startling me so much that I slip and fall on my butt. "Ow…!"

"Chihiro, are you-!?" The door flies open to reveal Peko. I quickly cover my lower half with the towel. Judging by the crimson on Peko's normally stoic face however, I know that she just got an eyeful. "I-I am very sorry, I was afraid you were…!"

"What's goin' on?" I hear Fuyuhiko question from behind her. "Did Chihiro fall or somethin'?"

"I-It's nothing, Young Master! We should allow Chihiro to get dressed!" In a way completely out of character of herself, she shoves Fuyuhiko out of the doorway and slams the door shut behind her.

After a few beats of silence, I let out a shaky sigh.

 _"Well… she definitely knows **now**."_ Resigning myself to my fate, I throw my clothes back on. It doesn't suck as much as when Mukuro found out, but… I can't help but feel scared of what they're going to say. Mukuro's reaction was the only positive one in the long line of attempts to let people know I'm actually a boy, and then I have to consider that they may have heard him screaming about Chiaki as well… so it's no wonder that I'm shaking like a leaf right now.

I take a few deep breaths to try and steady my nerves and walk out into the room. Peko seems to have regained her composure for the most part, but I'm certain a see a twinge of pink on her cheeks from her place by the door.

"All clean now?" Fuyuhiko asks. I nod. "Good. How's the arm?"

I glance over to it. "I-It's fine, I think… it really was only a small cut, like you'd said."

Fuyuhiko walks over and leers at it. "…Still, I'm gonna have Peko wrap it up for you. It looks like it might scar."

I don't protest as the silverette approaches and leads me over to a table where a first-aid kit is sitting. She gently wraps the bandage around the upper part of my arm, making sure it's secured before stepping away. "Thanks…" I mumble.

She nods stiffly and moves to stand by Fuyuhiko. "Chihiro…" She starts. "Could you please explain what happened in that alley?"

I look off to the side. "…W-Which parts?"

Fuyuhiko sits down on the bed with a huff. "Let's start with why that ass was referring to you as a "he." I feel like that's kinda important."

I flinch. Right to the point. "…" I clutch at my skirt a little. "Y-You probably know the answer to that already."

Guessing from the look on Peko's face, she told him _exactly_ what she'd seen. Not that I blame her. Fuyuhiko lets out a small huff of disbelief. "So, you're really packing…?"

"Y-Young Master!" Peko squeaks.

My eyes feel hot with tears, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here… I can't be weak right now. "…Y-Yes, I really am a boy."

There's a tense silence. After a moment, Fuyuhiko breaks it. "So what, you one of those "girl in a boy's body" morons?"

"No!" I quickly shake my head. "N-Nothing like that! I _am_ a boy…"

"Then why the hell would you dress like a girl?!" He yells.

Between Fuyuhiko's furious glare and Peko's slight frown of worry, I furiously have to fight back the tears. I take a deep breath and tell them everything: About how it started, my previous attempts to change, and why I hadn't just started over when I came here. I even tell them about how Mukuro had figured it out instantly.

Once I'm finished, I hug my arms to myself. It's difficult laying yourself bare to people you can really only consider acquaintances…

_"Just what are they going to do, I wonder?"_

Peko is still frowning at me, and Fuyuhiko seems to be sort of blunted by the information he received.

There are a lot of things that could happen. He could smack me, kick me out of his room, he could call up everyone and tell them what a _liar_ I am, but after a few minutes, he simply lifts his head and looks me dead in the eye.

"Fine." He states.

"H-Huh?" I breathe.

"I _said _,__ fine!" He yells. "You could have lied to me once I asked you, but you had enough balls to fess up when I gave ya a chance. It takes guts to come out to people like us after all… and you managed not to cry while doing it." He sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. "Look… I don't really get why you didn't just stop when you came here, but I'm not gonna act like I don't understand how it happened. I get how it feels to be views as weak because you're small…" He furiously shakes his head and levels a glare at me. "Look, I'm not gonna rally up a mob or something just because you're a dude, so quit looking like you're gonna start bawling!"

I can only stare at him. Of all the reactions I had thought of, this wasn't on the list. Slight sympathy? "R-Right…" I wipe at my eyes a little, unable to help the smile on my face. "Thanks, Fuyuhiko."

"Yeah…" He nods, twinge of pink on his cheeks.

"Chihiro…" I look over to Peko. "Are you certain you're… okay? Most people don't really react well to what we do. I imagine you must have been pretty scared…"

I raise an eyebrow. Is that what she's been frowning about this whole time? "W-Well… I felt pretty sick at first. Having his… b-blood in my hair didn't really help with that. Honestly though, I'm okay for the most part… even though it makes me think that I'm pretty awful for not being more shaken up over it."

"Nah." Fuyuhiko says. "Its better you brush this shit off and move past it. Seriously, it would make things a shit-ton harder on us if you were a wreck over a guy who was going to rape you-"

"What Master Fuyuhiko meant," Peko interjects. "Is that we're glad you're alright. I'd hate for your trip to the beach to be ruined because of something you had no control over."

Fuyuhiko flushes a little and my curious look, and he quickly pushes the conversation forward. "Peko and I have some more formality bullshit to handle, but we're at least gonna bring you back to some of those other losers you're on a trip with. Once you get back to school though, I'm gonna need a damn explanation about what exactly happened in that alley, got it? I need to know why exactly I had to put a bulle-" He coughs into his hand, earning a small smile from Peko. "I mean, dismiss one of my guys."

I hurriedly nod, completely thankful for the time I'd need to get my story together. "R-Right!"

* * *

"Pekopeko, Fuyuyu! What are you two doing with Chihiromon?"

The three of us stop in our tracks and turn around at the sound of Ibuki's voice. "I-Ibuki?" Peko questions. "What are you doing here? I thought it was a class trip!"

She pulls the three of us into a bone-crushing hug, Mondo and Souda approaching from behind her. "Oh-ho, didn't you know? We got to get out of class like you guys! 'Cept we're not in a stuffy meeting." She tilts her head. "But you're not either? Gasp! The heir is playing hooky!"

Fuyuhiko growls and pulls out of the hug. "We're not playing hooky, damn it! We're just dropping Chihiro off..."

"Off…?" Souda hits his fist into his hand. "Fuyuhiko you dog! Romancing the little programmer!"

"You were on a date!?" Ibuki questions, eyes sparkly. "The tiny Chihiromon stolen away by a dashing Mafioso that's just her size!" She fake swoons, earning a laugh from Souda and a dark look from Mondo. "It's a ship made in heaven I tell you!"

"Like fuck!" Fuyuhiko yells, face crimson. "Why would I bring Peko if I were going on a date with Chihiro, huh!?"

"Cause you're into that kinda-" Souda cuts himself off and looks off to the side at the pure death glare Fuyuhiko is sending his way. "I-I mean, we were just playing! Y-Yeah, just a tiny joke…"

"Whatever." He huffs and brushes past Ibuki. "C'mon Peko, we gotta get back." She hurries after him down the boardwalk, not saying a word.

"Jeez, what was his beefaroni?" Ibuki pouts. "He was acting like he _wouldn't_ wanna bag the cuteness of Chihiromon!"

I glance a little off to the side. _"His reaction makes sense given he knows I'm a boy…"_

Souda laughs. "Yeah, but did you see the look on Peko's face? She had the same look she gets when she wants to pet something cute!"

I raise an eyebrow. "S-She did…?"

"Fo sho!" Ibuki nods seriously. "Seems like Ibuki is not the only one aboard this ship! Good thing too; she needs a deck hand to help keep her afloat!"

Mondo shakes his head. "Whatever. Where were ya at that you even ran into those people?"

I feel my face heat up and I scratch my head. "W-Well… I'm not entirely sure. I got lost looking for the arcade."

"Got _lost?_ What are ya, fi-" He stops. "The fuck did you do to your arm?"

"Eh?" I glance down to the wrapping. "I-It's just a scratch! I, uhm, fell down. That's how they found me! They took me back to their hotel to get it wrapped and brought me back here afterward…"

Something about the look on his face tells me he doesn't believe me, but Ibuki cuts in. "Hey, since you're here anyway Chihiro, wanna come with us to the movies!? They're showing Jaws! Dun-da dun-da dun-da!"

I raise an eyebrow. "But… you can watch Jaws any time?"

"Well yeah," Souda snorts. "But me and this guy here have a bet going."

"Ibuki shall explain!" She gestures to Mondo. "Señor Buff Booty has challenged Shark-Tooth Souda to a bet! The deal is that he wouldn't be able to sit through the sharkalicious classic, and then go directly to the beach for a nighttime swim session without having the crap attack to end all crap attacks!"

I shoot Mondo a flat look. "Mondo, really?"

"Hey!" He says indignantly. "He's the one who started talkin' big! I just told him to put his fucking money where his mouth is."

"How much did you even bet?" I question.

"Hundred bucks says I'll stay in the water!" Souda says, cocky grin on his face. "You wanna place a bet, Chihiro?"

I grimace. "I-I'll give you _both_ one hundred bucks if you don't! This kind of thing can only end badly…"

"Awh, lighten up Chihiromon!" Ibuki slings her arm around my shoulder. "It's not like we're gonna get Gundham to summon Jaws for us! Come with us, pretty please? Ibuki will cry if you don't!"

"But Ibuki-!" I try to protest, but she immediately starts bawling.

"Bawwww! Chihiro doesn't wanna hang out! What did Ibuki do to deserve this!?" She curls up into the fetal position on the ground, sobbing loudly. "Wahhh!"

"Chi…" Mondo walks over and crouches down in front of me, speaking in a whisper. "Look, I promise nothin' bad is gonna happen! I have something funny planned, so will you just come?" He glances behind him to Ibuki. "Plus, I don't really think that chick is gonna stop unless you do… so, please?"

He shoots me a pleading look, and I can't help but blush a little at the proximity of his face. "…F-Fine, okay? I'll go with you guys…"

"Really?" Ibuki asks, popping off the ground. "Fo sho, fo serious? Yay! It's gonna be a hoot and a half with Chichi with us!" She snatches up my arm and proceeds to drag me off in the direction of the movie theater.

"What didja say to convince her huh?" Souda asks from behind us. "She was super against it before."

I can almost hear the smirk in his voice. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I sigh. _"Honestly, I'd like to know as well. Just what do you have planned?"_

* * *

The movie theater is bustling with activity upon our arrival. Thankfully the ticket line moves fast, and we get up to the booth in a relatively short amount of time. Mondo approaches first.

"Four tickets for Jaws." He says, shoving his I.D. through the little hole in the glass.

The ticket lady glances at it before pushing it back through. "That'll be forty-five dollars, please."

I start fishing around my pocket, but Mondo stops me when I pull my wallet out. "Hey, I made you come here. I got you."

"E-Eh?" I stutter. "It's fine, I have plenty-"

"Hey, I said I was, and I'm fucking gonna!" He says, shoving the money at the ticket lady. I can't really tell, but for a second I could have sworn he was blushing. He turns away too quickly for me to tell though. "Souda, gimmie your and Ibuki's share!"

"Why am I paying for her?!" Souda asks. Ibuki doesn't seem to be listening, instead humming along with the tune playing out of the speakers.

"Cause this is our bet, and I've already paid for Chihiro!" He snaps. "So gimmie the damn money already, we're holding up the line!"

Souda grumbles something unintelligible under his breath as he shoves the money in Mondo's hand. After getting our tickets, we make our way through the lobby and into one of the halls of theaters.

"Ehh?" Ibuki says, noticing where we're going. "Snacks!"

"We don't need snacks!" Souda huffs, still a little miffed. "I already had to pay for your damn ticket. I'm not gonna pay for that, too!"

"I have an idea." I say, stopping in my tracks. "How about the both of you go and find us some seats while Ibuki and I go get some popcorn? I'll pay."

"Sounds like a plan." Souda grins, immediately perking up. "Especially since I don't have to pay again…"

I shake my head. "I-I already feel bad that Mondo bought my ticket, so I've got it."

"Snacks!" Ibuki cheers. "What kind of movie would you have if you didn't have snacks!? It would be a- a-" She screws her face. "A sovie! No one wants to go see a sovie!"

"...Right." I laugh, looking at my strange friend. "Well, let's go before the movie starts-" Before I can even finish talking, she starts dragging me down the hall by my arm.

"We're gonna try to grab seats in the back!" Mondo calls after us.

"O-Okay-! Ow, Ibuki, don't pull me so hard!" I squeak, snapping my attention back forward. She quickly weaves through the crowded hall and out into the lobby, pushing through hordes of people until we finally reach the snack counter.

"One extra-large bucket of popcorn, plox!" Ibuki quips, grinning at the cashier. "Oh oh, and two extra large Cokes!"

"T-Two?" I ask, confused. "Why only two?"

"Cause you always share snakipoos at the movies!" Ibuki states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Drinks too! It's like, an unspoken rule!"

I can't help but giggle. "If you say so Ibuki!"

We fall into a comfortable silence for a moment before Ibuki speaks up again. "Say, Chihiromon?" I look up at her. "Do ya have a crush on someone right now?"

…What?

I frantically shake my head. "N-No! What would make you ask something like that!?"

"W-ell, Ibuki was just curious." She says, twirling her hair. "Chihiromon is always surrounded by one hot stud or another, so Ibuki could have sworn you'd have picked a bronco to mount by now!"

"Picked a bronco to…" My face goes red with a volatile mix of embarrassment and indignation. "Ibuki, what is _wrong_ with you!? I-I just have a lot of friends who happen to be guys!"

"Ho ho ho!" Ibuki says, shooting me a devious grin. "Is Chihiromon certain they're _all_ just friends? Methinks the hot studmuffin waiting for us in the theater is pretty interested!"

"M-Mondo?" I squeak, heat in my face intensifying. "We really are just friends! There's no way he'd be interested in me; I bet he probably things of me as a little sister or something!"

"Ou contraire!" Ibuki says, poking my nose. "Ibuki wouldn't forcefully buy someone a ticket to a movie if she wasn't interested! No sir, no way!"

I huff and take the two sodas from the worker. "…T-That doesn't mean he has a crush on me!"

Ibuki grabs the bucket and starts to follow after me. "Boo, hiss! Don't be such a naysayer!" She speeds up to match my pace. "Okay, so you may not be convinced, but hear Ibuki out! Ibuki has super _super_ good hearing, and she's heard lots of talk in the halls that there are boys swooning left and right for Chihiromon!"

"…I doubt it." I say after a moment. "Wouldn't they be doing that for girls like Sayaka and Sonia?"

"Not everyone is gross like Souda and only obsesses over unattainable beauties!" Ibuki says. "'Sides, Chihiromon is adorable times ten, and not just looks wise! Ibuki totes thinks that it's surprising you seriously don't think anyone likes you like that!"

I grimace. "W-Well, what about you? Do you have someone you like?"

Ibuki thankfully doesn't comment on the quick subject change. "Ibuki? Hmmm!" She does an imaginary beard stroke, shifting the bucket of popcorn to one arm. "Well, she did have a thing for this one chick a while ago-" I have to try very hard not to let out a surprised choking noise. "-But there's this one guy who's really swell! He's so cool! And dashing! Chihiromon should really meet him!"

I look over to her curiously. "Does he not go to our school…?"

"Oh, he's there alright!" She nods seriously and grins at me. "I'm fo sho gonna show him off to you once we get back! Then maybe you'll see that Chihiro should get some manly men in her life!"

I frown and stay silent. Ibuki's just being a curious friend, but she doesn't understand the… dilemma I have. I've never really thought about being with someone like that because of it! It's… really sort of embarrassing to think that a guy could have a crush on _me_ of all people! Since I really am a boy and all…

 _"I don't think I could handle rejecting someone…"_ I think sadly. _"But even if I did like whoever they were back, I'd have to! I'm not gonna go out with someone when they don't know I'm a guy!"_ I flush a little. _"N-Not that I want to go out with someone of course! Not now anyway..."_

"Hey look, up there!" Ibuki shouts. "Hi guys!"

"Ibuki, shut up!" Souda yells back. "Can't you see the movie's starting!?"

I sigh. Hopefully the movie gets my mind off everything that's happened today.

* * *

The sky is almost completely dark by the time we make it out. I'd almost forgotten how long that movie was!

I stretch my arms once we're out on the beach. "So… do we have to go back and get Souda's swim suit, or do you already have it?"

"No no no." Mondo says, wicked grin on his face. "Sweet little Souda is goin' _skinny dipping._ "

"What!?" He shrieks. "That wasn't part of the fucking bet!"

"Hey, why do ya think I picked a part of the beach that was empty?" He laughs. "C'mon, just strip down and go for it! We're not gonna make fun of you or anything!"

"Who said there was anything to make fun of in the first place!?" His face goes red out of indignation.

"If there weren't, then why aren't ya stripping?" He asks, clearly baiting the mechanic.

"M-Mondo, does he really-" I start, but Souda cuts me off.

"Fine!" He throws off the tank top he was wearing. "I don't have a damn thing to be embarrassed of anyway!"

I slap a hand over my eyes so that I don't have to see anything. After a moment of clothes rustling, I hear Ibuki yell out. "Wow, so your hair isn't naturally pink!?"

"O-Of course it isn't, you moron!" He yells, voice a little shaky.

I hear Mondo snort from his place beside me. "Alright man, you know the bet! Fifteen minutes of non-stop swimming gets ya a hundred bucks!"

"Fine!" I hear splashing, and Souda's voice suddenly sounds far off as he yells out. " _Shit_ , it's so cold…!"

Taking that as my sign for the all clear, I uncover my eyes. "W-Was that really necessary?"

"Damn straight, Chi!" He grins. "Just you watch, the real fun is about to begin! Hey Ibuki-" He turns to the girl. "Everything set up on your end?"

"Ding ding riceroni!" She nods, striking a pose. "They should be here any minute!"

I frown, not liking where this is going. "Just what are you two doing…?"

"Know how Souda is obsessed with that chick, er… Sonia?" I nod. "See, I've been trying to get him off her for a while… cause let's face it, it's just damn creepy the way he's obsessed with her."

"O-Okay...?" I screw my face in thought. "...But what does that have to do with this?"

"You'll see…" He looks off toward the boardwalk, as if he were looking for something, Ibuki quickly mimicking his expression.

They stay like that for a while until Ibuki calls out in a yell-whisper. "Look look, they're coming!"

"Alright!" Mondo fishes around his pocket for a minute before he pulls out a lighter and what looks like a firecracker. He lights it and tosses it near the shoreline, where it quickly goes off with a loud pop.

"Gyah!" Souda yells from the water. "Mondo- you dick! Don't _do_ that!"

"Hey, I was just trying to liven things up a little!" He yells back. "It's too damn quiet!"

I get a bad feeling when I hear a familiar voice from behind me. "Oh, Chihiro! I didn't know you'd be here!"

I turn back to see Sonia, Gundham, and Taka approaching from behind us. "Eh?" I squeak. "What are you guys doing here?"

Sonia giggles. "I'd gotten a call from Ibuki earlier! She told me that there was something she'd wanted to show me, and I really was curious as to what it was! Gundham and Taka were kind enough to escort me here as well!"

"Of course!" Taka yells. "We can't let a lady walk around at night alone! It simply isn't safe!"

Gundham merely nods to me in greeting.

Mondo doesn't look entirely pleased with the extra company, but he quickly shakes it off. "Well, you're just in time! It should be ready any minute…"

"Ahh!" Souda yells, slightly frantic. "Shit! Something just brushed my leg!"

"Quick!" Mondo yell whispers to Sonia. "Get behind that rock!"

Sonia looks confused, but complies, hurrying behind the large rock next to us.

"C'mon Souda!" Mondo yells, turning his attention back to the mechanic. "You're prolly just making it up! Ya only have five minutes left!"

"I'm not making it up!" He shrieks. "Something definitely just touched my-" He freezes. "Gyahhh..! It just did it again!"

"C'mon Souda-pop!" Ibuki yells. "Don't wuss out now!"

"Fuck that!" He screams, swimming back to shore. "I am _not_ about to be shark food for a hundred bucks!"

As he approaches the shore, I quickly turn my head away from his direction. Both Taka and Gundham look confused for a second, but they quickly learn why exactly I did it.

"What in the-!?" Taka yells, face crimson. "Why on earth are you-!?"

"Ehh? Taka and Gundham? The heck are you two doing here?" I hear Souda question.

"Oh, is that Souda?" Sonia pops her head out from behind the rock. "I was unaware-"

He freezes when he sees her. She stares at him a bit before her gaze travels downward. "O-Oh… I'm sorry?"

He snatches his clothes off the ground and holds them in front of his crotch. "M-M-Miss Sonia!? I-It's not what you think, i-it's just really cold right now!"

"Ah, yes, well!" She says, turning away hurriedly. "I do believe I should be getting back!"

"B-But Miss Sonia-!" Before he can say anything, she hurries away, a very red looking Gundham following quickly after.

I see Mondo's shoulders shaking beside me with suppressed laughter. "G-Gee Souda, you should really put some clothes on! You don't wanna scare anyone else off!"

"You ass!" He yells, tugging his pants on. "You fucking _planned_ this, didn't you!?"

Unable to contain it anymore, he busts out into a full-blown laughing fit along with Ibuki. I feel angry at what just happened, but before I can yell at him for it, Taka brushes past me.

"Are you insane!?" He yells, walking up to the gang leader. "Why would you possibly thing that publicly humiliating one of your friends is funny!?"

"Hey!" Mondo's laughter comes to a halt. "He's the one obsessed with that chick! I was just trying to help him take the damn hint!"

"So you try to make him see it by exposing his lower half!?" Taka retorts. "You ought to be ashamed!"

"H-Hey…" A now-dressed Souda says, approaching from behind us. "It's not that big of a deal… I-I mean, I would have laughed too if it wasn't me…"

"See!?" Mondo yells. "He's fucking okay with it!"

Taka crosses his arms. "That doesn't mean it's alright! Show some respect to the rest of the people around you, I mean look at poor Chihiro!" He gestures to me. "She looks positively mortified!"

"Yeah, at you making a damn scene!" Mondo retorts.

Ibuki walks over, nervous sort of half-smile on her face. "...This didn't go as well as Ibuki hoped-"

"She looked like that even before I came over!" He walks up and stands toe to toe with Mondo. "You should apologize immediately, to both Souda and Chihiro!"

"Like fuck, you're the one who isn't letting this go!" Mondo yells, glaring right at him. "You fucking apologize!"

"C'mon guys…" Souda says, scratching the back of his head. "Let's just go. I don't think they're gonna stop for a while."

I look back to my two friends who are practically at each other's throats. "A-Are you sure? I mean…"

"Hey, what are you people doing!?" I hear someone yell. "No fighting on the beach!"

Souda yelps. "Shit! It's the fuzz!" He snatches up both my and Ibuki's wrists and takes off down the beach. "You'll never take me alive!"

"Souda, I'm pretty sure it was just a passerby-!"

Ibuki suddenly overtakes Souda and starts dragging both he and I toward the hotel. "Nooo! Ibuki is too young to be arrested!"

I let out a sigh, resigning myself to being dragged back to the hotel by my two panicked companions.

_"Today just wasn't my day…"_


	13. Day Two, Part One!

I wake up with a start when the massive pile of fur next to me shifts and nearly shoves me off the bed. I turn and shoot a quick glare at my furry companion before taking my phone off the night stand to check the time.

"Seven-thirty…" I grumble. After nearly having my arms yanked off by the unreasonable duo of Souda and Ibuki, I was up most of the night worrying about everything that had happened. I stand and stretch a little. "No use in crying over lost sleep… Frederick, want to go on a walk?"

Frederick lets out a low growl and rolls over. "C'mon, boy! No one else is going to be up, so…" I sigh and look over to Mukuro's bed. Surprisingly enough, she isn't there. I turn back to Frederick. "Come on, I'll get you a new toy if you do!" I beg. "It's just going to be a quick walk, honest!"

Frederick stares at me for a moment before huffing and hopping off the bed, tags clinking loudly as he shakes his sleep off. I smile. He's really a weird dog.

* * *

After throwing on a green sun dress I'd bought specifically to wear over my bathing suit and giving Frederick a little water, I open the back door and let him bolt down the stairs to the beach. I'm still a little lost on how Shirabe had made such a large oversight about the rooms, but I'm not about to complain; the view of the rising sun is gorgeous.

Before I set out though, I end up having to rush back inside. I'm absolutely not going anywhere without my phone today. To my surprise, several texts have piled up. Some of them are from yesterday, but there's one that was sent out just thirty minutes ago.

_Due to lack of attendance yesterday at the scuba diving session, we'll have it first thing this morning. –Shirabe_

_"Crap."_ I completely forgot about that! _"Not that there wasn't a good reason, but still…"_ I sigh. I'll absolutely have to apologize to Shirabe once we get started.

After shoving my phone in the pocket of my dress, I hurry down the stairs to the beach. I let out a small squeak when the surprisingly cool sand touches my feet. "I refuse to deal with anything outrageous today!" I say to myself. "I am absolutely determined to relax! No pranks, no going off on my own, and especially no more mafia nonsense! It'll be a completely normal day!"

I jog over to an area close to where Frederick is barreling back and forth across the sand. Even though it's early, there are a few people here and there who got up early to enjoy the beach before anyone else. I have to make sure he doesn't slam into some innocent bystander.

"Augh…!"

…Too late. If only I'd had the foresight to bring a leash.

"Hey, no…!" Rushing over to where Frederick his happily attacking the guy with his tongue, I realize that it's none other than Taka. "Frederick, get off him!"

With an indignant whine, Frederick hops off his victim and sulks off to a spot in the sand behind me. "Ah, good morning Chihiro!" Taka laughs from his place on the ground. "Good to see that Frederick is still lively as ever!"

I giggle slightly. "I'm not so sure about _you_ if he keeps greeting you like this. There's a good chance he'll smother you one day. You should probably try to dodge it next time!"

"Nonsense!" He says. I offer him a hand to help him up, which he accepts. "Such a spirited greeting is something I'll always be happy to face!"

"Brave soul." I murmur. Giving him a once-over, he's… still wearing the same uniform he usually does. "Why are you still wearing that? We're on vacation, you know."

"No, we're on a school bonding trip." He corrects. He claps a hand to his chest. "Besides, we're at the end of summer! It couldn't possibly be that hot."

I scratch my cheek a little. "B-But… it's going to be in the nineties today."

His grin falters slightly. "No matter! We'll be swimming! Therefore, I'll be wearing the school sanctioned swim trunks provided to us! Nothing to worry about!"

"You say that, but…" I glance up at his face. "The day's barely begun, and you're sweating already. How did you survive yesterday?"

Finally he abandons his cheesy grin in favor of a sheepish look. "A-Actually, Princess Sonia and Gundham seemed to favor the indoors yesterday. We were only outside for short periods of time."

I sigh. "That… doesn't surprise me at all. Are you planning on doing the same today?"

"Of course not! I need to bond with others!"

"Then you're probably going to need to wear something else." Shockingly enough, Taka looks completely surprised at my suggestion.

"E-Eh? That's completely preposterous! I can't just…!" He seems frantic almost. I wonder why?

I frown up at the taller boy. "Taka, that uniform of yours is too hot for this!"

"R-Regardless!" He crosses his arms. "I cannot simply abandon this uniform because it's a little warm out! I'll be fine!"

"Listen, Taka-"

"I will not hear of it!" He says with finality. "There's absolutely no reason for me to take this off! This uniform is a symbol of my dedication as a student! So long as I live the life of a student, I will wear this uniform! Come rain or shine, hell or high water, I'll still be wearing it with pride!"

I frown and stare up on him. His resolve is clear in his eyes… he's not going to budge.

 _"-That is, unless I gave him a reason that's even more important to him than his health. But what could…?"_ I choke back a gasp at my sudden thought. _"It's worth a shot!"_

"You know, though…" I look off to the side, trying my best to look nonchalant. "E-Even Mondo took off his favorite jacket for this trip. I guess that means he has more common sense than you…?"

His stern expression flips to a horrified one in an instant. "W-What do you mean!?"

I got him listening! "Well, I mean… you know how much his gang means to him. Almost as much as school means to you! Even _he_ realizes that you can't have fun on a hot day if you're all covered up!" I look up at him, ever so carefully trying to school my expression to one of curiosity. "I guess that means you're admitting he's got more common sense...?"

"Never!" He blurts. "O-Of course I knew that you couldn't properly enjoy the beach fully clothed! My studies of beach bonding have taught me that much at least!"

"So you'll change?" I ask hopefully.

He grimaces. "I would, but… there's a slight issue with that." At my raised eyebrow, he shrugs and lets out a laugh. "I don't have any other clothes!"

…

There are a few beats of silence as I take time to process this.

"None." I deadpan.

He shakes his head. "Not a thing."

"You don't have anything for under that jacket? Seriously?"

"Hey-" He starts. "It's not proper to just wear a jacket. I have collared shirts for underneath!"

I screw my face in thought. "I don't think any stores are open, though… We wouldn't be able to go and buy you anything before we meet up with the rest of the class."

"Ah well!" He says, grinning. "It can't be helped, right? In my uniform I stay!"

I can't help but frown. "No stores, but…" I snap my fingers. "I know! Let's go ask someone for spare clothes!"

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he's almost put out by this suggestion. "Borrow clothing…? It's really not necessary, I'm certain that I'll be-"

"You'll be miserable."

"…" A sigh. "You're… surprisingly adamant in these situations Chihiro."

I feel my cheeks flush at the comment. "I-I'm just worried!"

He chuckles a little. "I suppose I should be grateful to have a friend that cares for my well-being. Who do you propose I borrow some from then?"

I frown. I hadn't put much thought into the idea when I suggested it. _"Let's see… Mondo is out for sure. Souda is too lanky, and Hifumi is too… yeah."_ Continuing my mental list, there's really only one logical person to ask.

"Where is Leon's room, exactly?"

* * *

Needless to say, Leon was shocked at our sudden request. Not only had he just woken up, but our school's perfect was asking _him_ of all people for clothing. (Of course, it was really me asking. Taka just looked plain uncomfortable.) I was halfway expecting him to refuse, but much to my surprise, he opens the door wide and motions for us to come in.

"Yeah, okay." He says. "I packed too damn much for this trip anyway. I can spare some shorts."

Hiro is still snoring loudly from his bed on the other side of the room, or at least I think so. He blends in a little too well with the pile of dirty laundry and pillows he's apparently nesting in.

"Hey Hiro…" Leon whispers in a soft sing song tone. He balls up what appears to be a wad of whatever our prophet friend wore yesterday and pegs it at him at full force. "Wake up, damn it!"

"Mmpf… Leooooon…" Hiro grumbles. "Why would you do that, man? Still cheesed off about Sayaka?"

"No, you idiot!" He yells. "We have guests! Get your lazy ass up!"

"Guests?" Hiro echos. His dreads stick out from their usual odd angles as he sits up and blinks a few times. "Chihiro and… Taka?!" Hiro falls off the bed and brings his nest down with him, which he promptly shoves under the bed. He scrambles to a stand. "Ehehe… what are you two doing here?"

"I'm lending some clothes to Taka here." Leon points behind him as he says this, earning a very awkward wave from the moral compass in question. "Chihiro is helping to slowly but surely remove the pole from his ass! Pretty sweet, right?"

"Excuse you!" Taka says, flushing in indignation. "I have never had a pole anywhere near my-"

"Yeah yeah." Leon grins and waves off Taka's outrage. He pulls a small duffle bag out from under the bed and rummages in it for only a moment before pulling out some khaki cargo shorts and a white tank top with a single red stripe down the right side. "Go in the bathroom and try it on." He wiggles his eyebrows a little while an almost cruel smirk. "Unless you wanna put on a show for lil' Chihiro here!"

Letting out a few unintelligible sputtering noises, Taka makes a hasty retreat for the restroom. Leon lets out a cackle.

"Dude needs to lighten up a little." He stretches his arms over his head. "Though I guess I can't ask for much more than you prying him out of that stark white turd he usually wears. How did you convince him?"

"I-I'm not so certain myself." I say, suddenly aware that I'm the center of attention. Hiro is fine, but I'm not terribly comfortable around Leon… given that he usually hangs with Junko's group. "It was a lot of talking in circles, but we got there eventually. I bet he would have had a stroke in that thing!"

Hiro lets out a low whistle. "Well, I'm interested to see what he looks like in people clothes! Other than his gym outfit, he's never worn anything but that military stuff!"

"P-People clothes?" I echo, giggling a little.

"Well yeah!" Hiro says. "It's always that uniform! Always! I wouldn't be surprised if he slept in one!"

"Dude, I doubt that." Leon says, flopping down on his bed. "It'd get wrinkly. He'd probably explode if that happened."

"Then…" Hiro tilts his head and scratches his chin in thought. "I bet he sleeps in the buff."

I feel my face warm as Leon snorts. "No friggin' way man. He's way too much of a prude."

"But just _think_ about it!" The look on Hiro's face tells me that he's about to launch another conspiracy theory. "The dude doesn't own any other clothes than those, right? So he's gotta be going to bed buck naked! There's no other option!"

"O-Other than him having pajamas that he doesn't want to wear in public… like normal people?" I ask.

"Chihiro, Chihiro!" The clairvoyant shakes his head in a way that whatever he's about to say should be obvious. "He said he had no other clothes! It's context clues; he's subliminally broadcasting to everyone that there's a wild beast under that vanilla exterior!"

"…Dude." Leon's expression is borderline disgust. "Shut up."

Just as Hiro preps to defend his point once more, Taka calls out from the restroom. "Ahm… do you not have anything bigger shirt wise? This… tank top seems a little small."

"It's fine man!" Leon yells. "Just pull it on and show us!"

"I really don't think it's supposed to be this snug!" Taka protests.

"I-I'm sure it's fine Taka!" I say. "We need to hurry anyway. Everyone is about to start gathering to meet with Shirabe!"

"…Very well." The door makes a small squeak as it opens. The atmosphere for the grand reveal is far tenser than it should be; both Leon and Hiro are staring intensely at the slowly opening door. Letting out a drawn out sigh, the center of attention steps out from behind the door.

And jaws _drop._

"What the fuck…?" Leon mumbles, dumbstruck. "D-Dude…"

"W-What?" Taka asks. "Does it look strange?"

"It's not that!" Hiro yells. "Well, I guess it is in a way. Who the hell knew you could look so _good_!?"

Which he __does.__ Surprisingly so! I'm left in absolute awe; though the tank top is long enough to cover his torso, it's such a tight fit on him that every muscle on his upper body has been clearly defined. The shorts don't hurt the look either.

"I… didn't think it was such a big change?" Taka questions. "This top is too tight anyway!"

"That's because you're shredded! Look at those abs, those biceps…!" Leon rebukes, finally recovering. "How the hell does that starchy shit you wear mask this…?"

"Hey, that happens to be a custom-made uniform! The best of the best!" Taka looks absolutely affronted at the insults thrown at his usual garb. "It is by no means starchy either!"

"Dude, it's almost criminal for you to wear that thing!" Hiro says, poking at his stomach. Taka slaps his hand away. "Look at what your abs have done to Chihiro! She's speechless!"

Finally snapping to attention, I rapidly shake my head. "N-No, no no! I'm just impressed is all! It must have taken a lot of work to have gotten that in shape!"

"Mhmmm." Leon coos. "I'm sure Chihiro, I'm sure!"

I can't help the embarrassed blush that works its way onto my face. "It's really not like that!" It really isn't, though Leon has no way of knowing my predicament. "It's just impressive!"

He seems to take my blush the worst way possible. "No need to be so modest! Even I gotta admit he's got one bangin' bod."

Taka himself looks mortified at this line of conversation. "B-Banging?"

"For sure dude! I'm jealous!" Hiro says. "If you were even just a little more laid back, I'm certain you'd get all the chicks! All of them!"

"I have no desire to get all of the chicks!" Taka says. "I don't like this one bit, I'm just going to change back-"

The instant he says that, all our phones seem to go off at once. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out we all got the same message.

_Meet for breakfast in the lobby. I'll be waiting. –Shirabe_

"Too bad!" Leon grins, not feeling guilty in the least. "We gotta go… unless you wanna be tardy!"

Taka's shoulders hunch. "…Let's go."

* * *

"Alright! Gather 'round, everyone!"

After a quick breakfast and a short pause for everyone to grab their swim suits, Shirabe called us back to the lobby. I was expecting him to be angry at us for missing yesterday, but instead he was as jovial as ever.

"Okay, to start off." Shirabe says, grinning at us. "I apologize to everyone who ended up showing up for the lesson! I ended up getting caught up with some… let's call it teacher stuff. I'm sure no one made any plans anyway, so it's fine!" He claps his hands together, ignoring the chorus of grumbles. "Right! We'll set up a few towels on the beach and call it home base. If any of you get lost, just find the big white and pink umbrella, okay?"

Mondo snorts. "We ain't a buncha damn kids!"

Unperturbed, Shirabe continues. "Let's see… it's ten now. This lesson is gonna go on for about an hour, and then you're all free to do whatever else with you time. Remember; don't stay out too late, and don't get arrested! I'm not going to spend my hard-earned cash getting one of you punks out of the clink, got it? Now go get changed in those tents over there!"

As everyone breaks off to get changed, I let out a sigh. I'm glad I had the foresight to put on my bikini under the dress, but…

"Hey, Chihiro." Mukuro is out of the changing tent first. "Sorry…"

"About what?" I'm genuinely curious. Mukuro didn't do anything.

She sighs. "I left you alone last night. Sis dragged me into her room after she, ah… tied up Nagito in the closet."

"Oh, no!" I say, shaking my head. "It's fine!"

She quirks her usual almost-smile. "Say, did you ever find a swimsuit yesterday?"

I nod. "I did."

"Okay…" She raises an eyebrow. "So?"

"So?" I echo.

"Why aren't you taking off your dress?" She asks, completely nonchalant.

I sigh. Of course she'd figure I'd have it on underneath. "Well, it's just-"

"Yoooo, sissy!" Junko yells, slinging an arm around her older twin. "Not a bad choice for you!" She snaps the back of her plain grey one-piece suit. "Modest, yet shows off your curves! I've taught you well."

Mukuro clicks her tongue, faintest of blushes tinting her pale features. Of course Junko's swimsuit is anything but modest; a bright red bikini that's just teetering on too small with a bow right in the middle of her top. No, calling that modest is like saying Hifumi is into three-dimensional people.

Junko quickly turns her attention to me. "Oh?" She asks. Her voice is just dripping with the sweetness that she only lays on when her sister is present. "Where's your swimsuit, Chihiro? I didn't see you in the tent."

"T-That is…" I say, fidgeting slightly. "I have it on under my dress."

"Well, go on then." She detaches herself from her sister and smiles down at me. "Take it off."

I flush. "R-Right now?"

"Well, yeah!" She says. "Unless you're planning on skipping out? I can think of at least a few saps who'd be bummed out."

"Junko!" Mukuro hisses.

"Oh, calm down." Junko chides. "It's just a joke!"

"Chi-hi-ro-" I barely have time to turn around before someone slams into me. "Mon! How are you this fine day? Still fully clothed, I see!"

"A-Ah, Ibuki!" I say, grateful for the distraction. My overly chipper friend lets go and strikes a pose.

"So so, whaddya think?" Ibuki's bathing suit isn't what I'd have expected from her; it's a light pink glittery bikini. "I made sure to match it exactly to my pink streaks!"

"It looks nice." I say, smiling up at her.

"D'aw, you're so sweet Chichibean!" Ibuki pulls me into a bone crushing hug. "Now, lemme see yours! Ibuki knows full well it's not good to swim with actual people clothes! Go get changed up!"

"Ah, I'm actually-"

"Actually!" Junko clips in. "Chihiro is wearing her swimsuit underneath that dress!"

"Really!? How daring, Chihiromon!" Ibuki pouts. "No wonder I missed a peek at the goods!"

I instinctively cover myself. "I-Ibuki!"

"Ah well!" She makes a grab for the hem of my dress. "Let's get this off-!"

She completely freezes in place when I snatch it just out of reach. "I can get undressed myself!"

"We'll be here all day before that happens!" Suddenly Junko makes a grab from behind me. "So, take it off already!"

I barely manage to dodge again. "C-Cut it out!" I know Ibuki doesn't mean any harm from it, but Junko is another story. I don't like that look in her eye!

"C'mon Chihiro!" Ibuki yells, making a dive for me. "Take it off!"

Another near miss; this time I take off running. "Stop it already Ibuki!"

"Get back here!" She yells, chasing after me. "You can't wear clothes at the beach!"

"T-That's not how it works!" I scream. I suddenly have to change directions when Junko joins in the chase.

"It is when you have a swimsuit on already!" I barely manage to dodge Junko making a grab for my collar; just what is with this girl!? Her reflexes are too good for just being a model!

After a good five minutes of ducking and dodging, I start to run out of breath. Where the heck is Shirabe when I need him…?

"Give-" Ibuki makes another grab. Near miss.

"It-" Junko almost catches my strap, instead grazing my arm with her nails.

"Up!" They both split off and make a grab at the same time, finally catching me. They both have a hold of either side of my dress.

"Aha!" Ibuki says, triumphant. "And so we shall soon find out the truth; bikini or bust!"

I pull down on the front of my dress, doing my best to keep it on. "G-Guys, stop!"

"No way!" Junko says, sneering ever so slightly. "We need to see what's underneath!"

By now everyone's crowded in front of us. A few are looking on with disinterest, others with concern.

"U-Uhm." Hina says, quirking her head to the side. "What's happening?"

"Oh my!" Sonia gasps. "Is this what they call bullying!? Ibuki, stop it this instant!"

"I caaaan't!" She yells, pulling harder. "I wanna see what cute duds Chihiromon has!"

"That's enough!" Taka yells. He pushes himself to the front of the crowd and crosses his arms. I could almost swear I see Leon snickering when he notices the quick glances Taka receives. "Let Chihiro go this instant! Clearly she doesn't want to be stripped!"

"Damn straight!" Mondo yells, shoving Souda out of the way. "This is fucking harassment!"

"Oh, come on!" I can feel Junko start to pull harder as well. "She's just gonna chicken out if we don't help!"

"This ain't help!" He yells, clearly pissed.

Suddenly I hear a slight tearing sound. "Wait! L-Let go!"

"It's too late for that! Just let us see what treasures you're hiding, little pirate!" Ibuki screams, pulling harder.

"No, I-I mean it's gonna-"

__Shck!_ _

"…rip."

A hushed silence fills the area. Given that it was made out of gauze, it didn't take much for the garment to tear from bottom to top; the front of my dress has a jagged rip right down the middle, exposing the bathing suit I'd tried so hard to cover.

I can't help but flush to the very tips of my ears. "Ah…"

Sayaka clears her throat after several beats of silence. "It's ah... really cute!"

"Not helping!" Souda yells.

Ibuki, in spite of her usual carelessness, looks absolutely ashamed. "C-Chihiro, I'm so sorry, I…!"

"That's it?" Junko snorts. " _That's_ what you were covering up? It's surprisingly not hideous!"

"What Chihiro covers up is her choice!" Taka, who'd been stunned to silence by what'd happened, finally finds his voice. "Going so far as to rip her dress…!"

"It was an accident!" Junko says, looking genuinely affronted. "It's her fault for pulling down on it so hard."

"I-I told you I was going to take it off eventually!" I pull off the rest of the fabric, almost wanting to cry about the shredded article. "Oh no…"

"Hey, guys!"

We all turn around to see a completely oblivious Shirabe walking toward us with the instructor in tow. "So!" He claps his hands together. "What's the crowd for?"

* * *

I sigh from my place under the umbrella. After a harsh talking-to from Shirabe, both Junko and Ibuki were sent back to the hotel for the day. Mukuro, who'd apologized excessively for what her sister did, opted to go back to the hotel to make sure Shirabe's sentence was carried out.

 _"I sort of feel bad for Ibuki. _"__ I muse, staring out to the sea. _"She did apologize. Even though she shouldn't have done it in the first place."_ I feel myself start to glare at the water just a little. "Don't feel sorry for Junko though…"

"What are you talking about all alone?"

I start at the sudden voice, and whip my head around to see Makoto grinning down at me. "O-Oh, Makoto! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

He laughs. "Sorry, sorry. You were just sitting here all broody… not that I can blame you." He bends down and picks up my ruined dress, inspecting it thoughtfully. "Say, do you think it can be fixed? A little glue maybe?"

In spite of myself, I laugh a little. "Obviously not!"

"Ah, got a smile out of ya!" He offers me a hand to stand up, which I take. "How about a snow cone?"

I quirk an eyebrow. "A snow cone?"

"Yeah!" He points back to the street where a vendor is just setting up shop. "C'mon, my treat!"

"Eh? I can pay-"

"No need!" He says, waving me off. "So? Ya want one?"

"Well…" He looks at me with such a happy face. I… can't bring myself to say no. "S-Sure."

"Cool!" He grabs his wallet out of his bag. "Be right back!"

"Uhm, okay?" He bolts down the beach to his destination, almost losing a flip flop in the process. I decide to step out from under the umbrella and stretch; it was starting to get a little too cold in the shade.

"Hey, Chihiro!" I see Mondo and a few others coming back from their dive session, though the instructor is surprisingly missing. "Man, that was so cool! You shoulda seen it!"

I tilt my head to the side in question. "What?"

He lets out a laugh. "Hina totally showed up that instructor dude! She swam circles around him, and even corrected his technique! It was priceless!"

Hina huffs. "Hey, he was gonna get some major cramps swimming like that! The water is getting colder, so-"

"Yeah yeah." Leon says, cutting her off. "But Chihiro, babe. What did I tell ya!"

I almost want to comment about his word choice, but I ignore it. "U-Uhm… about what?"

He points over to where Taka is standing. "Check it out! I told you he'd get all the girl's attention!" Sure enough, while Taka is helping Sonia and Sayaka build a sandcastle, they're sneaking glances at him and his borrowed clothing. "The dark horse effect is _real_! No one expected him to wear something like that!"

"I'm pretty sure Hiro is the one who said that…" I say, feeling a little dubious.

"Details, details!" He laughs. "But it's absolutely true! He's rocking the look!"

"Well, it is surprising!" Hina says with a nod. "I didn't think Taka would ever wear something like that, but __wow__ does it suit him!"

"Even the tomboy Hina admits it!" Leon says with a laugh, earning a smack on the arm. "It's great, I gotta say."

"What is?" Mondo snickers, pushing his hair back. It's strange not seeing it in its usual style, that's for sure... "The prude stealing your Sayaka spotlight? 'Cause I think its great too!"

"Oh, lay off!" Leon yells. "Just because _one_ thing happens- That doesn't mean my chances are shot!"

Hina leans over at my confused expression. "You didn't hear?" I shake my head. "Oh man, it was brutal! Leon was asking Sayaka to room up with him when he ended up tripping and knocking her bag over!"

I raise an eyebrow. "T-That's it?"

She nods. "Weird right? But Hifumi claims to have seen something fall out of her bag just before she snatched it up! He won't say what, but I think that's part of the reason why she's so steamed at Leon!"

"Pah." Leon says, crossing his arms. It doesn't seem like he noticed Hina's little explanation. "Like I said. I know when to admit that someone looks good. I still have him beat with my winning personality though!"

Mondo snorts. "Yeah, whatever."

Leon looks like he's about to retort, but Makoto's sudden return cuts him off. "Here ya go, Chihiro!" Makoto says, happily handing me a blue colored cone. "I hurried back so it wouldn't melt."

"Snow cones!" Hina yells, excited. "Oh, I gotta find Sakura! She loves those! C'mon, Leon!"

"Wait, why me-!?" Before he can protest, Hina drags him off. I shrug.

"Thanks Makoto!" I take the little plastic spoon in the cup and take a bite. "I could have come up with you for this though."

"And you coulda waited till I got back too!" Mondo gripes.

"Hey, why would I have gotten you one?" Makoto questions. "This is a thank you to Chihiro for yesterday!"

"Yesterday?" Mondo looks confused for a short moment before snapping his fingers. "Oh shit, the Mukuro thing!"

Makoto shoots me an unimpressed look. "Really?"

I frown. "I-It's not like I told everyone!"

He laughs it off. "Ah well… still. Thanks a bunch! I think it helped out a lot."

"Really? That's great!" I can't help but smile. "So? What happened?"

"Dude, you gotta tell me!" Mondo nudges him, wiggling his eyebrows at him. "Didja make a move?"

"N-No! Why on earth would I?" He says, blushing a little. "We just cleared the air is all! She told me directly that she doesn't hate me. That's all I wanted."

"That's it? Really?" Mondo clicks his tongue. "Lame."

"Ah, Chihiro!"

I turn around to see Taka running over. "I'm pleased to see that you're feeling better!" He stops just in front of me. "Princess Sonia asked me to see if you'd want to join us in building a sand castle! Are you up for it?"

"Ah, well…"

"She's hanging out with us, if you couldn't tell." Mondo clips. "Just tell her Chihiro's got plans already."

"If I'm not mistaken, your name isn't Chihiro." Taka squares up against the taller boy. "I suggest you let her decide for herself. Cutting someone off as they're about to speak is exceedingly rude."

"Know what else is rude?" He glowers down at Taka. "You comin' up and asking stupid ass questions when we're clearly having a fucking conversation."

"Uhm, guys?" Makoto tries cutting in, probably feeling just as uncomfortable as me. "Maybe just-"

Taka simply shakes his head. "Clearly I know more about manners than you. I waited until there was an apparent pause in the conversation before I came over!"

"Whatcha say?" Mondo seizes Taka by the collar of his borrowed tank top.

"What?" Taka jabs, not backing down. "Are you hard of hearing too?"

"You got a lotta nerve, bitch." Mondo doesn't seem to want to give an inch either. "You think you're hot stuff because someone yanked you out of that shit ya usually wear?"

I cringe a little at that comment. I did that...

"Nonsense!" Taka yells, still oblivious to our distress. "Clothes don't make the man; I'm far better than you regardless of how I'm dressed!"

"Big talk from a runt." Mondo surprisingly enough releases his collar, but he's by no means letting Taka go. The atmosphere between the two is downright menacing.

Without a flinch, Taka calmly replies. "The only thing you have on me is height, and even then the difference is minor. I could beat you easily in any test of strength!"

"G-Guys!" I try to raise my voice to get my attention. "Don't start fighting here!"

"I have no intention of fighting this ape here!" Taka yells, looking horrified at the very notion. "We'd cause a huge scene!"

"A scene of you getting your ass beat!"

"Wait, hold on!" Makoto yells. "Don't actually fight! Can't you just… fight another way?"

I nod. "A-Anything has to be better than you two hurting each other!"

"Fine!" Mondo points over to the water. "We'll have an endurance contest then! Unless you don't have the balls to take me on?"

"I have the biggest balls!" Taka yells, yanking off his top. "We'll go in and see who can last the longest under water! The first one to come up for air admits he's less of a man than the other!"

"Fine by me, asshole!" Mondo turns his attention to Makoto. "Come be our ref man; I don't trust this guy to be honest!"

Taka seizes Makoto by the arm. "That's my line! I'll trust you to hand down the proper verdict when I outlast this punk, Makoto!"

The two boys glare hard at each other. "Bring it on!"

"Wait, this isn't what I meant…!" Makoto tries desperately to fight, but the two stronger boys start dragging him through the sand with ease. I rush after, not wanting to leave them alone like that.

* * *

I end up finally catching up to them at a secluded part of the beach. I hide behind a rock until the two start wading into the surf, running up to Makoto after they're far enough out.

"C-Could you not stop them?"

"I tried!" He shakes his head. "They were arguing so hard that I almost think they forgot I was there with them..."

"Oh no…" I grimace and look out to the sea, where both of them simultaneously dunk their heads under water. "This isn't good at all...!"

"I know." He sighs. "Honestly, this was bound to happen eventually, but... at least this is better than them getting into a fist fight, right?"

"I wouldn't call it much of a trade up!" I can't help but feel a little panicked. "What will we do if something happens? If they take too long to come up for air?"

"Look, I'm sure it'll be fine! I can swim out there to check on them at any point!" He pats my shoulder in an attempt to calm me down. "You can swim too, right?"

"I can, but…" I reach for where my skirt would normally have been, only to awkwardly grab at air. "I don't know CPR. What happens if they…?"

This didn't seem to occur to him at all; his face goes completely pale. "T-They wouldn't go that far just for a little bet, right?" After a brief moment of a tense silence, Makoto turns back to the main part of the beach. "It's only been a minute, right? Even __I__ can hold mine for two! I'm gonna run and get Hina! There's no way she doesn't know!"

"Go get Shirabe too!" I yell after him. He waves in acknowledgement and I turn back to the water; I can't even tell where they are anymore.

 _"Stupid!"_ I internally fume. _"They're so stupid! How could they possibly think that this was a good idea!? They weren't thinking at all, I bet!"_ I start pacing the beach. Sitting still seems impossible at this point. _"I'm going to scold them so badly when they get out of the water...!"_

"Chihiro!"

I turn around. It's been about two minutes since Makoto ran off, but thankfully he seemed to find both Hina and Shirabe fairly quickly.

Shirabe, the one who yelled out to me, stops and grabs his knees, panting slightly. "Damn, I'm getting too old to start running without stretching!" He recovers quickly, standing back to full height. "Now, could you please tell me calmly tell me why I just cut my life short by a good month? Makoto kept saying something about Taka, Mondo, and a watery grave…"

"Uh… Mr. Shirabe?" Hina taps his shoulder and points to the water. "I think _that's_ what they're talking about!" Before she even finishes her sentence, she makes a dash for the water… where both Mondo and Taka are floating face down.

"Oh my god!"

* * *

"Are you two slow in the goddamn head!?"

After hastily performed CPR by Hina, we hauled both Mondo and Taka back to the hotel and laid them down in Mondo's room. Souda was shocked at the sudden intrusion, as anyone who was taking a nap would be, but he helped us bring the two dazed boys into the room. Makoto quickly excused himself, unshockingly having pulled a muscle during our rescue attempt. The rest of us decided to wait for a bit to see if they'd be alright, but as it turns out…

Those jerks aren't worse for wear in the least!

"Hey, I was winning!" Mondo yells. "Why the hell didja pull us out!?"

"Unlikely!" Taka shoots back, crossing his arms and turning away. "You were clearly struggling!"

Mondo leans off the edge of the bed, shaking his fist angrily at the perfect. "That's something only losers say, loser!"

"Hey!" Shirabe yells. "Are you seriously arguing about who _won!?_ You two idiots nearly died!"

Mondo snorts and turns away while Taka looks affronted at the very notion. "I was perfectly fine!"

"No, you weren't! Not when she-" Shirabe points back to Hina, who frowns hard at them. "Had to practically suck the water out of your lungs!"

At this, both Mondo and Taka finally start to look slightly sheepish. "I-It wasn't _that_ bad man, I mean-"

"I mostly don't care what you two idiots do, self-destructive or otherwise-" Shirabe continues. "But when you drag two of your classmates- _your friends _-__ into something as dangerous as this… you should be absolutely ashamed!"

"Two?" They both ask in unison. It takes them a moment to notice me standing in the corner.

"Wait, Chihiro was…?" Taka asks, dumbly.

"Yes, Chihiro was." Shirabe says with a sigh. "Look at her! You two have left the little lady absolutely beside herself with worry, and all you morons can do is squabble over who won?"

"B-But…" Mondo scratches his head awkwardly, looking over to his opponent. "We're fine. There isn't any need to worry, right?"

Taka nods in agreement. "Completely fine!"

…Fine?

I feel something snap in me at that comment. I stomp my way into the small isle between the two beds, raise both my hands high in the air, and…

I slap them both as hard as I can.

The stun is apparent on both their faces. I know it didn't hurt; as much as I wish it did in this moment, I know it didn't.

But I'm just so _angry!_

"Oh shit…!" Souda yells. I'd almost forgotten he was there. "A double!"

"What is _wrong_ with the two of you!? You're fine? Fine!? Y-You two almost died!" I can't help it; against my wishes, a few tears roll down my cheeks. "Some stupid contest isn't worth that! Nothing is!"

"Chihiro's right!" Hina puffs up suddenly, feeding off everyone's frustration with the two. She brushes past me and slaps them both in the same way I had, but the loud crack that goes off tells me that it _stung._ "We were all super worried, you know? But you jerks don't seem to care either way! You got a lot of nerve to stomp all over our feelings, you big meanies!"

"C'mon guys-" Mondo tries to cut in, cupping his cheek. Shirabe cuts him off with a shake of his head before he can say anything more.

"We're leaving." He announces, placing a hand on both my and Hina's shoulders. "I'm certain if we stayed any longer these two girls' day would be spoiled. You two are to stay in here the rest of the day." Both open their mouths in an attempt to protest, but Shirabe once again cuts them off. "Together."

"H-Hey, you sure that's a good idea?" Souda asks, nervous. "And where am I supposed to go!? I was sleeping in here!"

Shirabe thinks about it for a brief moment before smiling. "I understand. You can stay here and watch them, then!"

Souda gapes at the man, clearly feeling no need to show respect. "The fuck!?"

"Hey, you're the one who voiced your concern for your friend!" Shirabe is full on grinning now, knowing full well that he's just pushing his job off on someone else. "I think it's admirable for you to care, so I think you're more than fit to watch them!" He starts pushing us out the door, hastily waving goodbye. "Thanks a bunch!"

And then he slams the door shut behind him. Both Hina and I turn around and shoot him an unimpressed look.

"What?" He laughs, clearly not feeling the least bit guilty. "I have plans! So saying that," He turns down the hall and starts for the lobby. "I'll see you two ladies later. Try to go out and have some fun, alright?"

Once he's gone, Hina puffs out her cheeks and takes my hand. "Man, all these guys today are just nuts! C'mon Chihiro, we're gonna have some girl time!"

"E-Eh!?"


	14. Day Two, Part Two!

"Wow, Chihiro! That color totally suits you! Why don't you wear nail polish more often?"

I sigh. After today's catastrophe, Hina made good on her remark of having a "girl's day." Both her and Sakura have been my companions for the day, doing whatever it was that came to mind. After a pretty long gaming session at the arcade, Hina insisted we pick up a few boxes of donuts and a heap of nail polish for a "classic end" to a girl's day out.

I frown and look down at my nails; dark green, to match my usual outfit. "Hina, it's not exactly my thing…"

"It's not exactly my thing either!" She laughs, eyeing her own yellow polish. "But! We're on vacation; you gotta switch it up when you're abroad!"

"Hina." Sakura comments. "You're going to smear it if you keep waving your hands around like that."

"Oh boo on you, worrywart!" She moves her hand to wave her off, but her nail catches on the table as she does. "...oh crap! See, __this__ is why I don't do this stuff!"

I can't help but laugh as she begins fixing the damage. "You're the one who suggested this!"

"Yeah, well…" She puffs out her cheeks in a pout. "Sakura and I are way too active for polish to stay on right… So at least we have a viable excuse! You just don't wanna do it, lazy butt."

"Like I said, it really just isn't… _me_." Sakura raises a brow at my comment, but Hina just ignores it. Instead, she points her freshly painted nail right at me.

"I call BS! You're too cute to _not_ try and be… well, cute! But…" She deflates slightly, plopping her chin down on the table. "Really, you don't seem to have any troubles pulling guys from what I can tell. I'm totally jealous that you don't need to try!"

"Er, what?" I ask.

"Oh come _on._ " She says, exasperated. "You must have noticed by now! You have hot guys practically drooling on you, like, all the time!"

I feel a knot forming in my stomach. "Ibuki had mentioned something like that yesterday…"

"Indeed, it does seem like you have some admirers." Sakura comments, sipping at her drink. "Mondo seems to act even more foolish than usual whenever you're present, and I'd noticed Taka's interest in you grow these past few days… I assume that's probably a contributing factor to today's fiasco."

I shake my head. "No… they really just don't like each other. If last night was any example…"

"Last night?" She questions. I take a moment to explain the prank-gone-wrong to the both of them.

"O-Oh! I see!" Hina blurts right after I finish, laughing nervously. " _Wow_ , that was a thing? I had no idea at all… haha…"

Both Sakura and I just stare at her for a moment before deciding it was better to ignore her. After a moment, Sakura simply nods.

"Well, what you're saying does make sense… but what about the rest of the time? When you're hanging out alone?"

I frown. _"What about when we're alone? I mean, Mondo has always looked out for me ever since the whole Junko thing started, and Taka… well, I guess we bonded over Frederick?"_ We're certainly friends, but…

I sigh. "There's no way."

Hina lets out an exasperated groan. "Denial is a river in Egypt, Chihiro! What about that guy you brought along with us? Gundham or whatever? You two seem pretty chummy!"

"Well… we _are_ friends. But I really don't think he treats me any differently than anyone else." I shake my head at this line of questioning. "Was there a point to this?"

"It's just talk!" Hina pouts. "Can you blame a gal? I don't have any arm candy, not like you and Sakura! Its crap I tell ya, total crap!"

"Okay, one, I don't have any… _a-arm candy._ " I say, using air quotes for emphasis. "Two, there's no way you don't have anyone who looks at you! You're so pretty, Hina!"

She blushes a little. "I mean… I'm happy to be called that and all, but it'd mean a lot more if you were a guy ,Chihiro!"

I try hard not to flinch. If that isn't the universe taking a stab at me, I don't know what is. "Well… is there anyone in our class who interests you?"

She crosses her eyes a little in thought. "Well… you totally have Taka and Mondo on lock, so not them."

"H-Hina!" I squeal.

"Oh come on, how could I not say it? You're too cute when you get flustered!" She lets out a breath. "Well… Hifumi is just… not interested in anything human, Byakuya _isn't_ human, Leon has the biggest crush on Sayaka… Makoto is super sweet though!" She nods to herself. "If it had to be anyone in our class, it'd probably be him."

"What about Hiro?" Sakura asks, having gotten lost in thought for a while.

"Ew, Hiro!?" Hina blurts. Her face flushes a deep red. "No, no way! For one, he's old! So much older than us!"

"True…" I mumble. "He's twenty, right? Most of us are seventeen or eighteen… I think?"

"He isn't _that_ much older than us." Sakura points out. "Plus, average couples can have up to ten years separating their ages. It's not exactly a viable excuse."

"Ugh, still though!" Hina's arms fly up, clearly expressing her distress. "It's _Hiro!_ He's so… so..!"

"Okay, okay!" I say, trying to calm her down. "N-No need to get worked up! No Hiro, we get it!"

Sakura, however, doesn't share my thoughts. I see the faintest of smirks as she takes another sip of her drink. "Hina, denial is a river in Egypt."

"Don't steal my line, you jerk!" She angrily stuffs a donut in her mouth. "Awright, subfect shange!"

"Swallow before you start speaking." Sakura chides.

She rolls her eyes, but complies. "Okay! So! As you both may know, Halloween is coming next month! We only have like…" Hina shoves another donut in her mouth, pausing for a bit of math. "Fifty days to come up with a good costume!"

"I-Isn't that plenty of time…?" I ask, not understanding her train of thought.

"Not for what I have in mind, no!" She leans in close. "So listen! An upperclassmen told me that starting from Halloween night, the school holds a week-long festival-y event! And guess what?" She pauses for what I assume is dramatic effect. "They hold a huge dance at the beginning _and_ end of it!"

"Alright, so…?" Her point is completely lost on me. What does this have to do with costumes?

"The point Hina is trying to make-" Sakura cuts in. "-Is that during that first dance, the school hosts a costume contest for everyone to participate in."

"Oh…" I say. "Isn't that sort of… small? I mean, there are only three sets of Ultimate classes in the school…"

"That's the awesome part!" Hina chirps. "When Sakura said everyone can participate, she meant _everyone_! The reserve students, the teachers… heck, even the headmaster joins in! Not to mention that people are let in from the public to come look at our stuff! It's awesome!"

"So… it's a school festival." I bite my lip a little at the thought of it. "I-I'd say it'd be the same at any other school, but I doubt that it'd be that simple for us…"

"Who cares?!" Hina yells. "I mean, yeah, we'll prolly have to do stuff… but there's a _costume contest_! That's already so much fun on its own! Which is why…" She stands up and points towards the ceiling, striking a pose. "I've decided on a group costume!"

"W-What?" I gape. "Wait, when did I become a part of this!?"

"Since just now, silly!" Hina says. "I've had such a hard time coming up with an idea, you know? But you're smart! You shouldn't have any problems picking out a theme!"

I hurriedly look over to Sakura. "You're okay with all this…?"

She simply shrugs. "It's not exactly something I enjoy doing, but I could see it being fun in a group. Aside from that…" She glances over to Hina, whose mid-rant about her failed costume ideas. "She seemed excited about it. What kind of friend would I be if I shut her down over a little insecurity?"

I stare at Sakura for a beat or two before I crack a smile. "Ah… I guess you're right."

"…and that's why my "peas in a pod" idea was a flop!" Hina lets out a huff of irritation when she notices Sakura and I talking. "Hey! Did you even hear a word of what I was saying?"

"Oh, uhm…" I look off to the side. "Y-Yeah! Your scrapped ideas, right? I, er… could try to think of something other than those?"

Hina stares me down for a moment before accepting my answer. She smiles and nods. "Great! How about we meet back up in a week after we get back from this trip? Sakura and I will try to come up with stuff too!"

"Sure thing." I laugh. "I'm looking forward to it!"

With that, Hina immediately jumps to another topic, talking animatedly about the donuts we'd bought. Watching her and Sakura interact gives me such a warm feeling.

 _"Its… nice."_ I can't help the smile that works it's way onto my face as Hina accidentally spits soda all over her shirt. _"Being able to breathe easy like this with other people… I'd never have imagined it."_

* * *

"Bye Chihiro!" Hina yells from her place on the floor. "Don't be a stranger, 'kay?"

I wave back at her as I close the door behind me. It's late; far later than I'd planned to stay out for. Rubbing my eyes, I pull out my phone. It's almost ten.

I take the few short steps needed back to my room down the hall. Even though Frederick is potty trained, I should still make sure he has food and water.

"Frederick!" I say as I open the door. He lazily lifts his head and stares at me from where he's curled up on Mukuro's bed. "What are you doing up there? Get down!"

He yawns and stands, shaking the sleep off as he trots over to give me his standard greeting kisses.

I sigh. "I bet you're not exactly tired after sleeping all day, huh?" I ask, not expecting a response. "…Then again, I'm not exactly ready to sleep yet either. This vacation has my sleep schedule all messed up."

I glance over to his food and water dish. There's still a bit in each, but it's obvious that he'd eaten what I left for him earlier.

"Not hungry then…" I mumble. I go to sit down on my bed and flop on to it, Frederick following soon after. In the silence of the massive room, it occurs to me that Mukuro would probably be spending the night with her sister again.

 _"…It's strange."_ I muse, staring up at the ceiling. _"I used to be comfortable with this kind of quiet. It's not so bad with Frederick here, but… it's still a little lonely."_

"No…" I lay an arm across my eyes. The silence is almost deafening right now. "I was never comfortable with it. I was just used to it…"

Dad would always be out doing one thing or another. He was home a lot, don't get me wrong, but his work often called him out for several days at a time. Before Chiaki or even Alter Ego were a thing, I would just sit in the quiet and do my work. The days just blurred together.

 _"Hardly the case now though."_ I sit up and flop over onto Frederick, startling him a little as I drape myself over his massive frame. _"I usually don't have the time to think about those things these days."_

"Hey, Frederick." I start. "Wanna go for a walk? I'm kinda-" Before I can even finish my sentence, he almost takes me off the bed with him as he dashes for the patio.

I laugh. Asked and answered.

* * *

Even though it's late, the whole area is still buzzing with activity. The street towards the back is almost packed with people, all still shopping and eating as if it were daytime.

_"I guess it makes sense though. This place **is** a tourist area. They're probably trying to get as much business in before it gets too cold..."_

Glancing out to the actual beach, there are people scattered across the sands, each minding their own business. In contrast to the activity here on the street, it seems to be relatively calm. I lead Frederick through the crowd and walk a good ways on to the beach before sitting down.

"Wow…" I gasp. Looking up, the full moon is shining absolutely brilliantly against the ocean. "How come everyone is over there? It's such an amazing sight…"

I look over to my furry companion. Frederick seems to be just as enthralled by the moon as I am, staring up intently at it. I reach up to pat his head, which is a bit of a stretch given how much taller than me he is while sitting. When he notices this, he lays down next to me and rests his head on my lap.

I smile. "Good boy…" He pushes his head into my hand when I start scratching him behind the ear. He's too cute when he's like this!

We sit like this for a long time. It's a little hard to tell exactly how long since my phone is in my pocket, but eventually something breaks the calm.

"Oh, Chihiro!"

I look back and forth trying to find the source of the voice. After a moment, I'm able to find the source; Sonia and Gundham are approaching me from the road.

"O-Oh, hey guys!" I gently push Frederick off me and stand, taking a moment to brush the sand off my backside. Frederick doesn't share the same thought; piles of sand fly off him as he bolts over to the two new arrivals. "What are you guys up to?"

Sonia pets Frederick's head as Gundham addresses me. "The she-cat had asked me to accompany her while she collected various sundries for our classmates who were unable to come with us."

"Oh, it was such fun!" She squeals. "The little trinkets in those shops make perfect gifts! I'm certain they'll enjoy them!"

"Enough of that babble." Gundham quips, looking down at me. "Mortal, how do you fare? The pink one had mentioned what happened earlier to us."

"That's right!" Sonia straightens up, looking absolutely cross. "Oh, if I knew them better, I would give them such a scolding for putting you and Makoto through that!"

"I-It's fine, really!" I turn away slightly, not wanting to look either of them directly in the eye. "…Well, not exactly fine. I'm still really upset at the both of them…"

"I cannot blame you!" Sonia huffs. "Shall I go and set them straight regardless?"

"That's not necessary!" I shake my head as fast as humanly possible. Sonia is horribly scary when she's mad. "I… I don't know if they learned a lesson or not, but they've probably been through enough today. After all, besides almost dying, they each got smacked twice…"

She pauses for a moment and laughs. "Ah yes! Souda had mentioned "a sick ass double slap" from both you and your brunette swimmer friend! I must say, I wish I had been there to see it!"

I flush a little. "Oh no… he told you about that? I-I honestly don't know what got into me…"

"We have a saying in Novoselic;" Sonia starts. "'Grown men cry when a good man goes to war.' It essentially means that it is the kind-hearted you truly should fear." She nods to herself in a sagely way. "Their wrath is stronger than any army!"

Not understanding what she means exactly, I simply nod. "R-Right… that still doesn't mean I'm proud of it though. I was planning on apologizing to them tomorrow…"

Gundham, who'd been mostly silent until now, shakes his head. "Nay mortal, you do not give out an apology when it is undeserved. I'd sooner send your soul to the pits of hell before I allowed that to happen!"

"What Gundham means," Sonia cuts in, smacking Gundham's shoulder in warning. "Is that you shouldn't apologize until they do so first. Their offense was far more serious than yours."

He huffs and crosses his arms, glaring down at her. "I meant what I said, woman! Chihiro should under no circumstances apologize to those pathetic excuses for human beings!"

…

A small silence washes over our group. Sonia and I are both looking towards Gundham in shock; the man in question still fuming, in his own way.

_"Does he not realize what he just said?"_

After a couple of beats, I manage to put my suddenly scrambled thoughts into words.

"I'm… pretty sure that's the first time you ever said my name." I mumble. The only things Gundham ever calls me are "mortal," "woman," and "you."

Suddenly realizing his faux-pas, Gundham turns a brilliant shade of crimson. "N-Not at all! Surely you must have misheard! I, the Dark Lord, would never dignify a mortal such as you with that sort of response…!"

"…" Sonia appears to be calculating the situation as she stares at Gundham. "I must say, this is truly a development!"

"What do you mean..?" I ask. Rather than answering me, she simply takes Frederick's leash from my hand. "Hey, wait a second-!"

"I'll be going back to the hotel now! Chihiro, I'll be borrowing your knight for the evening; I simply _must_ take a self-photograph with him to send to my parents!" She announces with a smile. "Gundham, make sure you're a proper gentleman and escort her back to her room!"

"Fool!" He yells. "You'd really think I'd be left like this when-"

Ignoring him, she quickly walks over to me and bends down to whisper. "Do not let this chance escape, Chihiro. This is the largest step that he's taken in a while; please, just talk to him about it."

I stare at her completely baffled as she turns away with a flourish, and wades into the crowded streets.

 _"Step? Chance?"_ I wonder as I watch her go. _"What on earth is she talking about?"_

I glance to Gundham. He's quieted down considerably, but his face is still as red as it could be. Evidently he hadn't _meant_ to call me by my name, but…

"…Gundham." He flinches slightly as I start talking. "What's wrong?"

His gaze is locked firmly on the ground as he tries to find the words to answer my question.

"I-It's not a big deal, you know?" I offer. "Surely you've called other people by their names before!"

"You… fail to understand." Gundham's voice is small; his usual eccentric speech patterns have toned down considerably as well. "Certainly I've addressed others by their given names, and yet I…" I give him a moment to collect himself. "I've… never referred to someone by their first name aside from the she-cat and the reserve..."

"Is that such a tragedy though?" I say, taking a step forward. "IIt's not like I'd get angry at you."

He shakes his head, almost in denial. "I am the Dark Lord, don't you see? I… cannot simply _do_ that!"

Another step. "But why not? We're friends, aren't we?"

"That is not the issue being addressed!" He crosses his arms in a defensive way. "Stop your approach!"

"T-Then explain to me the problem!" I say, standing fully in front of him. I can't back down; not now. "I won't be able to understand what you mean unless you tell me directly…"

"I owe a mere mortal no explanation-!"

"Gundham!"

He tries to turn away, but I instinctively reach up and put a hand on his shoulder. He goes completely rigid at my touch, but he doesn't try to push me off.

"Gundham, I... I just want to help. Even if all I can do is hear you out, I..." I bite the inside of my cheek for a moment and briefly look away from him. "If something is bothering you, I want to know what it is."

I half expect him to shake my hand off- it wouldn't take much effort on his part, and he looks about ready to bolt. Almost in blatant defiance of what his body is screaming at him to do, however, Gundham shakily puts his bandaged hand over my own.

"I…" He starts off. "I find it strange when people approach me. Most people are well aware of the danger I present, and yet there are the few that manage to get through my defenses." Gundham shakes his head slightly. "This past year and a half… I do not understand why, but in such a short time, I've met mortals such as yourself that have… changed me. The number of singularities I've met is almost… overwhelming. Even for someone of my astral level."

I nod, doing my best to not laugh at his added comment at the end.

"The mere fact that you've done this in such a short period is what concerns me." He grumbles. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he sounded afraid. "Both Hinata and the she-cat had trained for months before they were even able to stand in my presence, and yet with you…"

He trails off. I can see that this is clearly bothering him, but…

"I don't think there's anything strange about it." I say finally, retracting my hand. "W-We just get along is all. Not to mention…" I look up directly at him, trying very hard to get my point across. "Don't you think hanging out with them has changed you? Even a little?"

He frowns in contemplation. "I… suppose that is not wrong."

I shuffle my feet a little and look towards the ocean. "As someone else who has, uhm… _issues,_ when it comes to people, I can honestly say that I understand how you feel. The last time I went to an actual school, I was bullied for how I look… so naturally I was afraid it'd happen again."

 _"Not that it hasn't…"_ I internally add.

"A-Anyway." I shake my head. "In the short while I've been here, I've met a lot of kind people! A lot of people that I'm glad to consider friends… including you, Gundham." I feel him move slightly beside me. For some reason, the shift makes me incredibly self-aware, causing my face to erupt into a nervous blush. "U-Uh, so the point is… I don't think time needs to be a huge factor in friendship! It doesn't matter how long you know someone if you have good chemistry… at least, that's what I think." I finish with a nod.

After my little speech, I turn to face Gundham directly. His face is completely unreadable… which only serves to fuel my sudden wave of embarrassment.

"Uh, uhm, I-I'm sorry!" I spurt, trying to fill the silence. "I've said something strange, haven't I? Oh, look at the time! Need to get to bed, s-since we're leaving tomorrow and all-!"

I turn to walk (run) away, but I'm stopped dead in my tracks because of the shaky hand that currently has a hold on my wrist. His grip isn't strong; I could probably pull out of it easily enough.

In reality, it's the fact that _Gundham_ touched me  _willingly_ that has me pinned. Gundham doesn't touch people; not that I know of. If we ever come into contact with each other, it's always me starting it, and even then it's minimal. He won't even let most people within a few feet of him!

"...Gundham?" I turn to look at him, doing my best to contain the shock I feel.

"Mortal… no... C-Chihiro." He says, looking just about as flustered as I feel. "I… feel as though I understand what it was you were trying to tell me. As you stated, there is a certain level of comfort that both the Devas and I feel in your presence… If you say it is normal, then I shall take your word for it."

And just as fast as it began, the moment passes. Gundham lets go of my wrist as if it were on fire and quickly shifts back into his usual persona.

"Now then! Such behavior was extremely unbecoming of my status! The Supreme Overlord of Ice should never falter so!" He brushes past me, but motions for me to follow. "Come now, mortal! I shall graciously escort you back to your quarters; be happy, and rejoice!"

I let him go a few steps ahead of me before dutifully following after. Evidently, it seems that his grandiose way of speaking is a little more of a security blanket than I had thought.

Regardless of that thought though, I let out a small laugh. "Coming, Gundham!" I speed up a little to match his pace, shooting him a quick smile when I do. He continues to ramble about his astral level and whatnot, but I can see the faintest of blushes on his cheeks.

He's a little more human than he likes to let on, huh?

* * *

_"The morning sun is cruel…"_

That's the first thought I have as I step out into the lobby. It's cruel. Horrible. Despair-inducing.

In spite of Gundham's saying that he'd be only escorting me back to my room, he and I ended up hanging out until the wee hours of the morning. Thankfully, today is the day we're taking a bus back to Hope's Peak; I can recover all lost sleep on the bus ride back.

After packing up and turning in my key to the front desk, I put my luggage into the pile that my classmates had started and walk down the hall to retrieve Frederick from Sonia. She answers after a few quick knocks, but she isn't able to get a single word in before I'm tackled by two things: one dog, and one Ibuki.

"Chihirooo!" She sobs, swooping me up into a hug and spinning me around. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Frederick following me around as we twirl. "Ibuki is so sorry! So, so, _so_ sorry! Ibuki didn't mean to bully you!"

"I-Ibuki! Calm down! It's fine!" I squeal. "Please, put me down!"

"B-b-but!" She stutters, letting me go. "T-The last thing Ibuki wanted to do was hurt Chihiro! A-And I helped a meanie do just that!" She breaks out into another sobbing fit, rubbing at her whole face with her hands. Her tears and snot mix into a nasty solution that runs down her face.

Cringing slightly, I reach into my pocket and hand her a pack of tissues. "Ibuki, I'm not mad at you! It's okay, honest!"

"No it's not!" She sobs, ignoring me and the offered pack of tissues. "Ibuki did a stupid! A big, smelly, stupid!"

I sigh and reach into the pack myself to grab one. Reaching up, I start to carefully wipe her face off with the tissue, effectively silencing her sobbing in the process.

"You really ought to listen to her Ibuki." Sonia chirps, looking as prim as ever. "Chihiro knows you had no cruel motivations behind your actions! As ill-advised as they were…"

"I-It's true." I affirm, tossing the now snotty tissue into a nearby trash can. "Honestly, something much more upsetting happened after you left. I'd actually kind of put that whole incident out of my head…"

"R-Really?" She says, rubbing at your eyes. "You'd forgive Ibuki? Even after all that?"

"Yes, I would." I try to smile in what I hope is a comforting way.

"Awh, Chihiro… I-I… wuh…" Suddenly, she starts to sob again. "I'm so happy! Really, for sure and for serious! You forgave me! You _did_! If this was a song, it'd be "I'll Never Touch Chihiro's Dress Again Because It Hurts to be Forgiven!"

This time, I make sure I put the tissues into her hand. "I-It's okay… why don't you go get cleaned up before we go?"

She nods, and turns back into their shared room. Sonia waits for her to go into the bathroom before letting out a quiet laugh. "Ah, she's quite the character."

Letting out a laugh of my own, I reach over to pet Frederick. "That's very, very true."

"So… Chihiro." Sonia claps her hands together. For some reason, she seems to be giddy. "I heard all about last night! I must say, I'm so very glad for what you've done!"

"U-Uh… The Gundham thing?" I scratch my head a little. "I-I actually wanted to ask you about that."

"Ah, you see…" She looks off to the side. "Gundham has… a very delicate heart. Trusting people is fairly difficult for him. It took both Hajime and I to break him out of his shell, even if it was only the tiniest amount."

I nod, prompting her to continue.

"Well… to see him getting on with someone so quickly was nothing short of a miracle!" She continues. "And for him to say your name no less… It warmed my heart so! Now, let's make haste to the lobby! We cannot keep everyone waiting for long!"

"W-Wait a minute…" Before I can get out a word edgewise, she turns quickly and starts walking down the hall. "What about Ibuki?"

"Ibuki is coming!" She yells from inside the room. "She just needs to finish washing boogers off her piercings!"

"…Okay!" I yell back, grabbing Frederick and following Sonia down the hall.

 _"_ _ _Well that was weird."__ I muse, scanning the various art along the walls. _"_ _ _Sonia hopped off that subject as fast as she possibly could. I wonder if there's something she isn't telling me?"__

Making it to the lobby, I see a large crowd forming. Curiosity stops that train of thought dead in its tracks.

"Psst! Chihiro!"

"Uhm, what…?" Scanning the crowd, it takes only a minute to see who was calling me out. Makoto is frantically waving from where he's standing, as if he's trying to flag a taxi.

"Makoto?" I approach him, allowing Frederick to part the crowd for me so that I can get to him. "What's going on? What's with the crowd?"

"Well…" He scratches his head. "Just take a look for yourself. You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Stepping back slightly, he allows me to peek through the mass of bodies towards…

"Bahaha! You fucking said it bro, seriously!"

"No brother, it is you who has said it!"

...something almost completely unbelievable.

Standing in the midst of this crowd are none other than Taka and Mondo.

Laughing jovially.

Punching each other _non-violently._

I turn back to Makoto, not quite understanding what I'm seeing. "…Did the world end while I was sleeping?"

"See, that was the same thought I had!" He says animatedly. "When I asked them what was up, they told me that over the past twenty-four hours, they'd formed a "brotherly bond." Not that I have any idea what the heck that is." He jumps slightly as another hoot of laughter comes from their direction. "Uh, so the point is… they like each other now?"

"S-So you're telling me that, after being locked up in the same room together for not even a whole day, they're suddenly the best of friends…?"

He shakes his head. "I don't understand it either. I guess they had time to talk things over…? Probably?"

Staring at the scene… I feel tired. Even more so than earlier.

Yesterday, they almost drowned together because of their blind hatred.

…And now they're friends.

...

It's too early for this crap.


	15. Renewal

This _sucks._

Ordinarily I'd try to be a little more positive, and a little less obvious about my foul mood, but today simply wasn't my day… rather, it simply hasn't been my _week._

At all.

It's been a little over a week since we returned from our trip to the beach, and I can't say it's been all that normal. I still haven't gotten around to talking to Mondo and Taka about what happened, but it doesn't seem to me that it's bothering them too much. Both of them are far too engrossed in their newfound friendship to even notice my discomfort; they're acting like nothing happened at all. After the first few days, I decided to just stop trying.

What's more, Mukuro has been acting distant all week. The cause?

Junko. Obviously.

I don't know what she's doing exactly, but I know it has to be her fault. Something _must_ have happened that last day of our vacation. Mukuro has practically been dogging her sister's every footstep. Naturally this means that Junko can't do anything nasty, but at the same time, it feels like Mukuro has made a pointed effort _not_ to be near me. She even switched desks with Kyoko at the beginning of the week!

When I asked the aspiring detective why, she simply shook her head.

" _She didn't say why. I only agreed because I had no issues with moving."_

Those two things are the key factors that have led to my horrible mood. I can't help but feel secluded, be it intentional or not. I could try and hang out with other people of course; that'd be the natural solution, right?

Feeling as frustrated as I am though, I'd feel horrible for dragging anyone else into my funk.

So now it's that time again. Lunchtime on a Friday afternoon.

Spent alone.

Again.

Except this time I decided not to embarrass myself in the cafeteria by eating on my own. No, today I'd decided to thoroughly shut myself away from everyone and everything by going to the one place no one _ever_ goes. The bio lab.

I refuse to eat in there obviously. The place is basically a morgue, filled with bodies donated for the scientific advancement of the Hope's Peak students… In reality, the only reason I'm going to such a gloomy place is to steer clear of anyone for the next hour.

No one ever goes in there unless they have to.

Which is why, to my dismay, I find a very focused Mikan standing over one such corpse.

Well, focused until she notices me standing in there.

"E-Eh?!" She squeals, all but throwing the scalpel she was using up into the air. "C-C-Chihiro…? What are you doing here!?"

"Ah…" I cover my nose with my hand. The stench of formaldehyde is gut wrenching. "I came up here because I thought no one else would be. Why are you…?"

She visibly relaxes, albeit only slightly. "Ah, that… I was just getting some practice in. S-Since I'm the Ultimate Nurse and all…"

"Right…" I start out the door, feeling light-headed from the potent fumes. "W-Well, I'll leave you to it then…"

"A-Ah, sorry!" She blurts, face flushed in her usual panic. "But…! Uhm!"

"Uhm?" I echo, turning back slightly.

"T-That is…!" She tries to regain composure, quickly throwing off her gloves and mask to follow me out into the hallway. "Ah… I sort of have a message."

"Huh? How?" I ask, completely incredulous. "No offense or anything, but hearing from you is kind of rare."

"R-Right, sorry… you probably wouldn't w-want to hear it from me, right? Sorry…" She rambles.

I sigh. "I-I don't mind hearing it from you… though I have no idea what it could be."

Mikan twiddles her fingers slightly, not really knowing what to do with herself. "F-Fuyuhiko actually told all of us to give you the message. Our class, that is. I, er…" She scratches her head. "He told us, that if we saw you, to tell you to meet P-Peko in the lobby after classes were out."

"Uh." It'd be a lie to say I wasn't surprised. "He told all of you that? Couldn't he have told me on his own?"

She nods. "N-None of us really saw much of you this week. Ibuki was convinced you'd gone into hiding…"

I look off to the side. _"That isn't… too far off the mark."_

"B-Back to the point though." She says, snapping my attention back to her. "He left school early for some reason, so he told all of us to let you know…" She starts suddenly, pushing her smock aside to reach into her pocket. "I-I'll let everyone know now that I told you, s-so, you know, no one bothers you again with this."

"Uh… Mikan?" I venture. She nearly drops her phone at my sudden inquiry. "D-Did he mention what it was about?"

She hastily shakes her head. "N-not exactly, sorry! He'd only said that it was about last week, whatever that means…"

The realization hits me like a truck. There's no doubt he wants to talk about _that_ …

Which, of course, had completely slipped my mind with everything else that's gone on.

I rub my face into my hands. "Of course he'd want to…"

"I-I'm sorry?" Mikan stutters, clearly out of her element.

Woefully, I shake my head. My mood just shot down even lower than I thought possible. "Nothing. S-Sorry for the trouble Mikan."

"O-Oh, it wasn't any trouble! Really!" She waves her hands in front of her. "T-This kind of thing is all I'm good for after all! I don't mind!"

"I-I wouldn't say that. Anyway, if you'll just…"

"Uhm!" She starts again, cutting off my escape once more. "Also… s-since you're here and all, did you maybe… want to watch? I-It's actually quite interesting…"

I very carefully school my expression to hide my sudden bout of nausea. I'm about to refuse, but the look on her face…

It'd be like kicking an abused puppy.

I force a small smile to my face. "S-Sure. I'd be happy to watch!"

She lights up in a way I didn't think possible for the clumsy girl. "Really!? T-That's great! Let's see, I think we have a smock that'll fit you…"

I follow her back into the room, trying my best to not puke as she cheerfully explains to me how this particular man died; a crushed skull caused by blunt force trauma.

* * *

"Never. Again."

That had to have been the single most disturbing occurrence of my life, next to having a man's grey matter splattered on my head. I'd been repeating those same words over and over for the past few hours, not wanting to let myself be fooled into watching a dissection again.

" _No, this was_ _ **worse**_ _! I didn't have to look at him at all when that happened!"_ I bury my face deeper into my pillow. Having dutifully decided to skip the remainder of my classes thanks to the _wonderful_ biology lesson Mikan gave, I spend the rest of class time taking a long shower and cuddling Frederick.

I'm never going back there again… unless I'm looking to skip lunch _and_ dinner.

Grabbing my phone of my desk, I see that classes were about to end.

"Meet Peko in the lobby, huh…" I muse, letting out a long-suffering sigh. "Well… I guess I did tell Fuyuhiko that I'd explain everything."

I force myself away from my furry couch of a dog and straighten out my clothes. Better early than late, right?

* * *

The halls are bustling with mainly reserve course students as I wait in the lobby. Unlike us, they aren't given lodging at the school, so everyone is rushing out the doors to mark an end of another week. Amidst all the Friday chatter, I manage to pick up on a particular person's voice…

"Oh _Chihiroooo."_

My heart drops to my stomach. Of all people to see me after a day of hooky, it just had to be Junko.

To my dismay, she's alone as she approaches me. No Mukuro, No Sayaka or Celeste… Just my luck.

"You know, it isn't good for a Brainiac like you to skip!" She taunts, towering over me. "That's all you have, right? You can't let it rot away just because you're lazy!"

"…I was doing some outside learning." I say, noting how quiet she's being. She probably doesn't want any rumors to start in the reserve course… "Biology. Fascinating stuff."

"Oho, Biology was it?" Junko asks with mock-astonishment. "Why Chihiro, both Mondo and Taka were in class today! You mean to say you'd found yourself another beau to practice with?"

In spite of myself, I feel a flare of embarrassment. "Y-You know it wasn't anything like that!"

"Do I?" She purrs, leaning in closer. I feel a nasty chill run down my spine at her proximity. "While it's true that you're nowhere near pretty, there are always guys who will take what they can get. Who was it, I wonder…? Perhaps that social retard of an animal breeder?"

"I haven't even seen Gundham today." I state as blandly as possible.

"No need to play coy." She drags a perfectly manicured nail up my throat to my chin, where she digs it in slightly. "Even nerds need to get laid… say, how was he? Was he as bestial as he looks?"

"I said that's not it." Clearly she isn't pleased with my calm response, if the way her eyes narrow at me is any indication. "While I wouldn't know how he is in _that_ way, I… I can say he's not a beast in either way. He's both handsome and kind."

"Handsome? That weirdo?" She steps back with a sneer. "If he were in a rock group maybe. That style _so_ does not fly on it's own."

I'm about to offer another retort in my friend's defense, but a shock of silver in the crowd catches my eye. It's Peko.

"Chihiro." She greets, nodding towards me. "Are you ready to go? Young Mas- I mean, Fuyuhiko is waiting for us at home."

"R-Right…" I'm thankful for the escape… up until I notice the absolutely _delighted_ look on Junko's face.

"See you next week, Chihiro!" She turns off without another word. No snark, no insult…

Peko watches her wade into the crowd. "I wasn't aware you two were friends."

I shake my head. "We aren't."

* * *

Of course, a _limo_ of all things is what was sent to pick us up. I really shouldn't have been surprised... he's a gangster after all. Still, being in such a large space with only two people…

It's a little gut-wrenching. Especially since I know exactly why he's summoned me.

We're a good ten minutes into the drive before Peko speaks. "…Say, Chihiro?"

I snap to attention. "Y-Yes?"

"I have a small… question. You don't mind if I ask it, right?"

"Well… no, not really." Peko seems to be… nervous? "Go ahead."

"Right, well." She looks at me, but then quickly glances off. "When we encountered you on the trip, you were alone. But… I was told you had brought a dog along."

"I-I did, but…" Am I going to be lectured for not bringing him with me? He's a big dog, but I don't really think he's much of a fighter...

"I…!" Her sudden outburst gives me no room to make excuses. Then, when she finally looks at me again, I can see the faintest of blushes on her cheeks. "I would like to meet him!"

I stare. "Meet… meet him?"

She nods, a little too vigorously in my opinion.

"I have been undergoing extensive training to control my impulses around animals! Those cute, fluffy animals…" Even though she says this, she has that strange expression on her face again from the first time I met her. She quickly schools herself, face shifting back to her usual stoic expression. "…Uhm. So you see, I'd like to be able to put my training to the test. I think if I can refrain from forcing an animal to let me pet them, then it'll be fine. Do you mind?"

Do I? On one hand, I'm actually quite fond of Peko, but I'm also worried about Frederick's safety…

"I-I don't see why you can't." I finally answer. Her face lights up, with the smallest of smiles making a rare appearance on her face.

"That's fantastic! So, uhm…" She scoots closer to me, leaning in slightly. "What's he like? How big is he? What color fur does he have? Does he bite?" She clears her throat slightly in one hand, blush steadily creeping back on to her face. "I-Its intel! I need as much information as possible in order to handle this situation well!"

I can't help the laugh that bubbles out of my throat. Her behavior, though strange, is somewhat endearing. "You're too cute, Peko."

"C-C-Cute!?" She blushes outright now. "Me? No, surely not!"

"You definitely are, though!" I reach over and poke her cheek in a fit of playfulness.

"I-I am _not_! Stop this at once!"

I laugh again. The rest of the ride there continues in this way, happy atmosphere doing wonders for my mood.

* * *

"T-This is…!"

I step out of the limo first, but I instantly regret it. Two lines of extremely imposing men line both sides of the pathway to the estate- which is _massive_ \- just like something you'd see out of a black and white gangster flick. Sonia wasn't kidding.

Peko stumbles out of the limo after me, obviously not phased by something she deals with daily. When one of the men gives her a funny look, she quickly schools her expression back to normal.

She begins grumbling under her breath as she and I walk past the men into the building.

"What was that Peko?" If it were anyone else, I would say Peko jumped right there.

"Nothing!" She assures. "Come. Young Master's room is this way."

"Uhm… if you say so."

I follow Peko through the many winding halls, past several more suspicious looking men. I understand he's yakuza and all, but isn't this a little too obvious?

Abruptly, she stops in front of one of the doors and gives it a quick knock. "Young Master? I've brought Chihiro along as requested."

"Come in."

She opens it, and quickly pushes me inside. "Young Master, may I speak with you for a moment? Please?"

"Eh? I guess so." He pushes himself off the very posh looking couch he's sitting on and walks toward us. Before leaving, he turns back to me. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable. Dunno what the hell she wants to talk about now of all times, but it shouldn't be too long."

I nod, and in a flash I'm all on my own. The massive room feels almost oppressive in its size alone, let alone what it's decorated with. It's… pretty much exactly what you'd expect from the room of an aspiring gangster.

I sit on a chair opposite from where Fuyuhiko was sitting not a moment before. Rather than being nosy, I decide to just sit and wait.

God knows what I'd find anyway.

" _How should I go about this…?"_ I stare up at the ceiling, trying to figure out the best way to tell the story. _"I should probably keep the details to a minimum, right? I know I'll have to tell them about Chiaki eventually, but I don't think I should mention Izuru at all…"_

I let out a sigh. _"No, I definitely shouldn't. This situation is already insane as it is; how would I begin to explain a seemingly all-knowing weirdo who I've met by "coincidence" twice now? I think that subject is better left untouched…"_

I can't tell how much time passes, since I opted to leave my phone in my pocket, but the door finally clicks back open, revealing a smirking Fuyuhiko.

"Man... Chihiro, I've got to say, I'm impressed with you in more ways than one!"

I stare at him, confused. "What do you mean? Impressed with what?"

He barks out a laugh. "Well, for starters, you managed to get Peko on the ropes." He flops down on the couch across from me, amusement written on his face plain as day. "You little Casanova. Apparently, you have a way with the ladies after all!"

"H-Huh!? I… I didn't do anything though! Peko and I were just talking!"

Fuyuhiko shakes his head in amusement. "Yeah, well. Peko seems to think that you'd have no problem getting a girlfriend if you tried, you dog. Just what was it that you told her?" He glances to the clock. "Damn. I'll just have to watch the recording from the security camera later. We really need to get down to business."

I decide to ignore the embarrassment of having a private conversation between friends recorded in favor of having a micro-panic attack.

"Now." He says, draping his arms over the back of the couch. "Why was one of my men after you?"

"Right down to it, huh…" I sigh, clutching my skirt very tightly. "I… a couple of years back, I was contracted for some work. I'd already made leaps and bounds in the field of AI- er, Artificial Intelligence, that is- with the creation of my first program. This company had hired me to develop another for something… sinister. I-I didn't know it at the time, of course."

"Sinister?" He asks, curiosity piqued. "What, are we talking like Terminator level sinister?"

I shake my head. "N-No, nothing like that! I, uhm… It was for human experimentation."

He lets out a low whistle. "No shit…? Did you make a supercomputer that fucked with people's brains or something?"

"It really isn't anything like that!" I say, shaking my head once more. "Uhm… long story short, they'd grown a body, and they wanted to basically… put her in there."

He stares at me. "Isn't that kind of outlandish?"

"And me developing the Terminator isn't?" I deadpan. He laughs. "Anyway… She ended up emailing herself over there after I tried to back out of the contract when I found out exactly what they wanted her for. A few months after that, the company shut down… I-I can only guess that the two events are related anyway, given what she told me after the fact…"

"Woah, so it actually worked? Your AI went into someone's body?" He asks, somewhat starry-eyed.

Oh man. The irony of it all… "Well… yes. I didn't know that until recently though. I only met up with her again when I moved here."

"So she lives near the school? That's badass!" He seems incredibly excited by the idea of an artificial human running around, and I can almost _feel_ him wanting to ask to meet her, but he suddenly coughs into his hand. "Er. That said… what does this have to do with someone calling a hit on you?"

"Well… Here's what I gathered from what I was told. She told me she ended up escaping from the lab somehow, right around the time the company was shut down for it's… less than ethical ways. What they were doing to her was only the tip of the iceberg…"

He nods, seemingly understanding. "I get it. And there's nothing else you can think of that would lead to something like this?"

"No." I hug my arms to myself. "I'm lucky she'd managed to destroy any records of my, er… affiliation with the company. Otherwise, I'd probably be in prison."

Fuyuhiko grabs a notepad out from his coat pocket and starts scribbling something down. "What was the name of the company, exactly?"

"B-BioTech."

"…Right." He flips the notebook closed. "I won't ask you to bring her here today or anything, but I'm going to have to meet this artificial girl eventually."

"W-Why?" He looks back to me with a raised eyebrow. "I mean… I thought you just wanted an explanation, or something."

Rather than answering me, he yells out. "Peko! You can come in now."

Apparently having been waiting for her cue, Peko opens the door and walks in not a second later. "My apologies for the delay. Here."

She hands me a small stack of folded clothing. "What's this for…?" I muse unfolding them. White collared shirt, tie, matching black pinstripe vest and pants… "This looks like what Fuyuhiko wears."

"Well, I figure if I'm gonna have you meet the old man, you at least need to look somewhat formal." Fuyuhiko says, handing his notebook to Peko. "You can use the bathroom over there to change. Be fast though; getting him to set this time aside today was a real pain in the ass."

"Wait, what?! Why am I meeting him?" I sputter. "No way, I refu-"

Fuyuhiko unceremoniously snatches up my wrist and starts dragging me over to the bathroom. Despite him being only a small bit larger than I am, he's actually pretty strong.

"If you aren't gonna change into these yourself, then I'll lend you a hand." He all but gripes, yanking on my wrist. "Honestly, ya go out of your damn way to help people…"

"C-Change me!?" I muster all my strength and yank myself away just as we reach the bathroom, making sure to slam the door shut before he can come in. "I'm fully capable of doing it myself!"

"Prove it then. You got two minutes!" He taunts from the other side. "Otherwise I'm going in there."

"You jerk…!" I mumble, looking down at the now semi-wrinkled clothes.

I hear him lean against the door. "What was that, now?"

"Nothing!"

…I exit the bathroom without a minute to spare, quickly fastening the cuffs on the shirt as a finishing touch.

"I… I really don't see the point in me wearing this." I grumble, feeling awfully frustrated at the turn of events.

Fuyuhiko gives me a onceover, lips drawing into a firm line to suppress is laughter. "You… are you sure you're packing? You look like a girl dressed in her boyfriend's clothes!"

Peko shakes her head. "I think he looks cute. Like one of those teddy bears you can put in clothes."

Fuyuhiko checks his watch, clicking his tongue when he realizes the time. "It'll have to do. We need to book it over there if we're going to make it."

"Er, wait. What about shoes?" I ask, looking down at my white socks.

"My feet are a hell of a lot bigger than yours. We're inside anyway, not like it matters much." He motions for Peko and I to follow him. "Just follow my lead when we get in there, alright?"

I nod. Peko, on the other hand, looks perplexed. "Young Master?"

"What the hell is it now?" He snaps as we walk. "We're wasting enough time as it is."

"Just a small question, no need to stop." She replies coolly. "So… If Chihiro looks like "a girlfriend dressed in her boyfriend's clothes," wouldn't that make you his boyfriend?"

…I'd never heard someone choke on air as loudly as that before. I hadn't seen Peko smirk until then either.

* * *

When we finally make it to wherever it was that Fuyuhiko was leading us, he stops and turns back to us. "Listen up. Don't say anything unless he asks you directly, got it? I'll do all the talking."

"Er. Right." I frown. "But, you never explained why-"

"Dad." He says, knocking on the door. "I've brought him."

"Come in, Fuyuhiko."

He opens the door, leaving me reeling at the sight of his father. Massive, grey hair, tanned, scar on his cheek…

...Is this really his dad?

I regain composure as quickly as I can, following hot on Fuyuhiko's heels. I can only hope to god that my nerves aren't showing as I face the boss of the Kuzuryuu family.

"So." He gives me an appraising glance. "Your name?"

"C-Chihiro Fujisaki, sir…" I answer, giving a nervous smile and polite bow. Jesus, he could destroy a mountain with how deep his voice is!

Noticing my discomfort, he gives a slight chuckle. "No need to be so nervous, kid. I'm not going to bite." He gestures to the chairs sitting in front of his desk, an apparent request for us to sit. "Fuyuhiko, I ordered more of those dough cookies from that bakery. Have some."

"D-Dad!" He sputters. "Come on, this is serious business! It isn't the time for fucking _snacks_!"

"I am being serious." He says flatly. "What's wrong with having snacks out when hosting a guest? Now sit."

Apparently not willing to disobey his dad, Fuyuhiko plops down in one of the chairs, grumbling under his breath. I sit down next to him, noting that he'd taken a cookie in spite of his earlier protests. Peko chooses to remain standing behind her master.

"Now then… before we begin, I do have a small question." Boss Kuzuryuu says, looking between Fuyuhiko and I. "Why did you ask him to change clothes? He looks a little strange in your old clothes, to be honest."

"…" I flush. Of course he knows what I was wearing before; he probably has eyes everywhere. "W-Well, to be honest… I'm not even sure why I'm here right now. Fuyuhiko and Peko just kind of brought me to you unexpectedly… they thought this would be more formal."

"Hey, shut up!" Fuyuhiko blurts. "Are you stupid?"

Boss Kuzuryuu, on the other hand, looks amused. "An honest one. I like it." He chuckles and takes a sip of his coffee. "Fuyuhiko probably wanted to keep the purpose behind this meeting as a surprise for you. He really doesn't change."

I turn to Fuyuhiko, confused. He promptly looks in the other direction, causing his father to laugh again.

"I might be an old man, but I'm not set in my ways. That skirt suited him far more than this mini-me getup you have him in. I wasn't going to say no because of that. After all…" He leans back in his chair and towards the wall, where an oddly out of place family portrait hangs. "If I didn't like cute things, I never would have married your mother."

I have to kind of squint to see it clearly, but standing next to the mountain of a man is a… semi-chubby, short, motherly looking woman. She's slightly shorter than Fuyuhiko, so maybe around my height? Either way, it's clear to see where his looks came from.

"Dad!" Fuyuhiko yells, clearly embarrassed. "Could we get the hell on with this already? Seriously!"

"Fine, fine. That temper of yours is part of what makes you cute anyway." Ignoring Fuyuhiko's sputtered curses, his father turns to me. "Mr. Fujisaki. It's come to my attention that one of my men had to be put out of service in connection to something having to do with you, a friend of my son's. Care to give me an explanation?"

I waste no time in repeating everything I'd told Fuyuhiko earlier. Thankfully, his father has a far easier time stomaching my less than normal situation, with far fewer Terminator-like ideas.

He nods, scratching at the scruff on his chin. "BioTech was fairly large news for a while. I'm amazed you had a hand in that mess at such a young age."

"T-Taking large contracts for programs isn't anything unusual for me." I find myself fisting my hands where my skirt would normally be. "Ever since then though, I've been a lot more careful when choosing clients to develop for…"

"As you should be." He muses, taking another sip of his coffee. "That said, the details released to the public in regards to this matter were largely limited. I'll need to have my men look into this incident more if we're going to find who put the hit out on you."

I snap my head up to face him so quickly that the vertebrae in my neck audibly pop. "E-Excuse me?"

"Initially I hadn't thought this would be much of anything, but it seems I was mistaken." He answers easily, dialing a number into the phone on his desk. "There's always been a strict rule about interfering with my son's school life unless he ordered it. If the contract for your head is large enough for one of my own to go against us… Ah, hello?"

He begins talking and issuing orders over the phone, quickly hopping from one call to another. Fuyuhiko abruptly stands, waving Peko and I over to the door.

Once we're out in the hall, he speaks up. "It'll be a while before he detaches his damn head from that receiver. We may as well get going."

"H-Hang on a second Fuyuhiko!" I say, seriously reeling over all the sudden development. "What's seriously going on? Why are you having your dad do this? More importantly, _why_ did he agree? I barely spoke with him!"

"Didn't you hear him?" He says, flicking me in the forehead. "Everyone around here was told to stay out of my shit unless I said otherwise. He obviously _had_ to do something."

"W-Well, that's fine and all, but… why did you bring it up to him?" I say, rubbing a hand over the beaten area. "I mean… you didn't have to do all of this for me."

"Well I did! Just shut up already and accept the help!" He starts off down the hallway, leaving both Peko and I standing alone. "Only dumbasses need answers for every little thing, okay?!"

"Hey…" Peko leans down to where she's able to whisper in my ear. "Young Master Fuyuhiko did it out of concern. He's not very good at expressing things like this, you really must forgive him."

"Peko!" He yells back, causing her to snap back up to a stand. "You better not be telling him weird shit!"

"N-Nothing of the sort, Young Master!" She hurriedly says, grabbing my wrist and pulling me towards him. "Chihiro really should be getting back now, right? Let's escort him back to the school grounds!"

The young gangster glares at her for a moment before turning around. "Yeah, whatever. We should be getting back too."

"Uh, wait a second!" I pull free of Peko's gentle grip and run to catch up with Fuyuhiko. Once I get in front of him, I turn back towards him with a smile. "Thanks a lot, Fuyuhiko."

He flushes slightly, shoving his way past me. "Let's get going already! I wanna get back there before dinner, got it?"

Not saying anything more, I fall back in step with Peko. Once we get back to the room, I make a b-line for the bathroom to change out of the strange clothes I'd been given. Half way through changing though, an idea occurs to me.

"Hey guys? I-I think I can maybe get her to meet with us. My former-AI that is." I yell out as I pull up my skirt. "It's probably a good idea, since you'll be helping us and all-"

Just as I reach for my shirt, the door flies open. "Really!? We can meet the artifi- oh."

Fuyuhiko, in his excitement, decided to bust into the bathroom. His hands fly to cover his face.

Peko peeks in, looking confused. "Young Master? What's the problem?"

"H-He isn't finished changing yet, stupid!" He retorts, voice muffled by his hands.

Peko frowns, clearly not understanding his discomfort. "But, Young Master… he's a boy."

"He is! I know that, dammit!" He turns away. "But no matter how you think about it, it's perverted anyway, right!? Look for yourself!"

"I-It really isn't a big deal!" I retort, not feeling quite as self-conscious about my upper half as my lower. "Peko, come on. You don't think it is, right?"

"It's just his upper half…" She says as she moves in to get a better look.

I do my best to face her confidently, keeping a straight face as I stand there without a shirt on. "Well? It isn't bad, right?"

She gives me an appraising look, but her face reddens and she quickly turns away. "…I think I understand what you meant, Young Master."

I hurriedly put on my shirt, fuming. "This isn't what I want to hear from people who _know_ I'm a guy! Jeez!"

* * *

On the way back to Hope's Peak, I made sure to text Chiaki and tell her to meet us at my room. We could very well have done it in any of ours, but Peko wanted to meet Frederick anyway. I led them both to my room to wait, and we've been sitting here for a good ten minutes.

…Unfortunately for Peko, Frederick went into the bathroom as soon as she got close to him.

"H-Hey, stop sulking!" Fuyuhiko towers over Peko from where she's sitting on the floor, dejected. "This shit takes time! You really shouldn't have jumped the gun when you've only been practicing for a week!"

"…I've been working on it for a month."

"Seriously…?"

"Frederick just needs to get to know you, that's all!" I'm silently praying for Chiaki to show up soon. I don't know what else I could begin to say to cheer her up; Frederick usually loves everyone. "I'm sure you can be friends if you just keep at it!"

A knock on the door cuts off any reply she could have given. I let out a sigh of relief; the universe doesn't hate me after all.

I hurry over and open it. Chiaki is standing there with a relaxed smile on her face. "Hello, Fa- Chihiro. What's up? Are we gonna have another sleepover?" She glances past me, finally noticing Peko and Fuyuhiko's presence. "Oh? Hey guys. Are you going to be having a sleepover with us?"

I quickly grab her and pull her into the room, locking the door behind me.

"Chihiro…" Fuyuhiko looks at me, clearly unamused. "This is bullshit."

Chiaki tilts her head in confusion. "What's bullshit? Hey, Chihiro…"

I sigh. "Chiaki, it's okay. These two know about me."

"Oh, they do? Since when?" She shrugs. "Well, I guess that's fine Father. It's going to be harder for me to keep track of what to call you though."

"So laidback…" I turn to face both of them properly, forcing a pleasant smile on my face. "This is Chiaki. My former-AI."

Peko rockets to a stand, confusion showing clearly on her face. Fuyuhiko's face shifts from disbelief to shock once it sinks in that I'm not joking.

"You can't be fucking serious!" He all but screams. " _She's_ the artificial girl!?"

It's times like these where I'm glad that the walls are soundproof. "Y-Yeah… you could always ask Mr. Kirigiri if you don't believe me. He's the whole reason Chiaki was able to come here."

Peko shakes her head. "This doesn't make any sense! We've known her for over a year, and she never…"

"Well… this place is kind of full of freaks." Fuyuhiko walks up to her and pinches her cheek, pulling it out slightly. "I always guessed her weird behavior was because she was a bubble baby and only ever played video games. Her lack of common sense makes _sense_ now, I guess…"

"I 'ave hommon shense!" Chiaki pulls away Fuyuhiko's hand from her cheek, much to his dismay. "I know not to bend over on the bus with a really short skirt and that you need to look both ways before crossing the street! Father taught me these things… recently!"

Fuyuhiko turns an accusing eye towards me. "Couldn't you have made her with a bit more brains?"

"S-She has plenty of brains!" I retort, slightly offended. "She was an AI though! What good does knowing how to cross the street do for a computer program?"

"That's right!" Chiaki slaps a proud hand to her chest. "I'm really smart! I always make good grades, so that proves it!"

"Okay, well here's another question then." Fuyuhiko crosses his arms at me. "Why'd you give her such a weird personality, huh? She's way too calm for her own good!"

"I-I didn't give her a personality!" Why is it that I feel like I'm on trial here? This isn't fair! "I'd based my first AI, Alter Ego, on my personality. With her… I just gave her basic traits and let her develop on her own."

"To be fair, Father…" Chiaki says, pointing to my computer setup. "Brother even still acts differently from you. I'd say he's a little braver than you are, yup."

I blush. "Thanks a ton, Chiaki…"

"No problem!" She says, not missing a beat. "So, then… why is it we're doing this, again?"

Fuyuhiko brings his hands to his face. "God, this is a headache…"

"Uhm." I scratch my cheek. "It's probably best not to worry about it for now, Chiaki. They just needed to know, so I told them. I'll tell you all about it later."

Peko, who'd been silent, nods in understanding. "I suppose it isn't important for now, but… we may have to speak privately like this again soon."

"Though knowing this airhead, what Chihiro told us already is all we'll get." Fuyuhiko grunts, clearly annoyed at this development. "Of all the dumbasses in this school, you just took the cake for being the weirdest. Congrats."

"Thanks, I guess." Chiaki taps my shoulder to get my attention. "Say, can we play Mario Kart now? I think I'll beat you this time for sure."

I'm about to refuse; it's been a long day, and I kind of want to sleep. Just as I do though, Fuyuhiko cuts in.

"Hold on a second!" He looks absolutely bewildered. "You _beat_ Chiaki at a game? Seriously? None of us have ever been able to do that!"

"Oh, Father is very good at games!" Chiaki affirms, looking proud. "We go back and forth beating each other. It's always so much fun to go up against him! But…" She puffs out her cheeks. "We haven't played since our sleepover a while ago."

"I'm not gonna believe this until I see it!" He unceremoniously grabs my Wiimotes from the shelf and distributes them among the four of us. "Fire it up!"

I blink. "…W-We haven't eaten yet though…"

"Let's order pizza!" Chiaki plops down on the floor in front of the TV, turning on the console. "Oh, but we need to get wings too if we're ordering from Pizza Hut. Akane told me it's an unspoken rule."

"I'll place an order now." Peko pulls out her phone. "Let me just look up the number…"

"Oh, I already placed the order." Without warning, one of my monitors flips to life and displays Alter Ego's- my- face. "Don't worry about that! I billed it to your usual account, Master."

"Jesus _fuck_ -" Fuyuhiko slips on the rug out of surprise. True to her right hand status, Peko deftly catches him before he can hit the ground. "Chihiro, give a guy some fucking _warning_! That scared the shit out of me!"

"Hi brother!" Chiaki waves from her place on the ground. "We're going to play Mario Kart! Want to watch?"

"I absolutely do!" He affirms. "Master, turn on your laptop so I can jump over to it! I'd like a better view of the TV!"

…Well then.

"So this is happening, huh?" I sigh, accepting my fate. I take a deep breath and pop my back to psych myself up. "Okay! Let's do this!"

* * *

Monday morning. Usually, it's horrible; I've never been a morning person.

But today, I feel great.

After playing games well into the wee hours of Saturday morning, I spent the rest of the day catching up on sleep, and most of Sunday cleaning up my room and doing laundry. A nice, quiet day after all that fun.

I'm refreshed, I'm in a good mood… it certainly doesn't _feel_ like a Monday morning.

I say goodbye to Frederick and all but _skip_ down the hall towards the cafeteria. It's only 7:30, so I have time for breakfast today. Once I grab my chicken and waffles, I scan the area for a place to sit. Unfortunately, the whole place is packed today.

"Chihiromon! Over here!"

I whip my head back and forth until I catch sight of Ibuki's flailing arms. I wade my way through the sea of tables, only to see a very unusual combination of people sitting together: Ibuki, Gundham, Hina, and Sakura.

"H-Huh?" I look back and forth between everyone seated. "This is… unexpected. Hi guys."

"Oh, hi Chihiro!" Hina says. "Come sit, come sit! Isn't the lunchroom so crowded today? It's crazy!"

I smile over to Gundham in greeting, and he nods. He must not be comfortable with all the people here.

"Indeed…" He starts, watching carefully as the Devas come over to greet me. "It must be sorcery. Never before have I seen this commissary so filled with reserve course students! It was sheer torture for me to find an acceptable place to settle!"

Ibuki laughs, almost choking on a bit of biscuit. "Yeah, Ibuki saved him from standing in the corner all alone! Hinatatas and Power Blossom were already eating with Ibuki, so it was okay!"

Deciding to ignore the strange nicknames she'd picked out, I turn to Sakura. "You guys are friends?"

"We talked quite a bit on the bus rides to and from the beach." She replies easily. "She's very excitable… much like Hina is."

"I so am _not_ excitable!" Hina retorts after swallowing a bit of donut. "But yeah, Ibuki is cool!"

"D'aw, you flatter Ibuki so! I-" Her smile quickly changes to a frown. "Was that…!? Hang tight guys, we have trouble coming this way!"

I turn to follow her gaze. The sight that greets me makes my heart drop to my stomach.

Junko Enoshima is standing right in the middle of the dining hall, makeup and hair fully done. That usually never happens this early.

"Good morning, everyone!" She suddenly yells out, bringing the cafeteria to silence. "Ultimate Fashionista, Junko is here! Though I bet you all knew that from my Tweet earlier, huh?"

A roar of approval comes from the reserve class students, causing her to laugh.

"Wow, I really don't need to beat around the bush here! I feel like I should let everyone else know what's going on though, just to be fair!" She flips one of her long pigtails behind her, seemingly for effect. "Today I, Junko, will be asking someone in here on a date!"

I nearly choke on the milk I'm drinking, having to hurriedly spit it back out into the carton.

"You see, I've been thinking about a certain person a lot recently!" She says, doing her best to appear shy. "Though we haven't really spoken, he always manages to catch my eye in the halls! I'd really like a chance to get to know him better, you know?"

The crowd yells out its approval, nearly in a frenzy over her grandstanding. Everyone at our table is silent though.

"Junko likes someone?" Hina yell-whispers. "Seriously? Wasn't she dating that Nagito guy?"

"Jeez guys, you're so embarrassing! Quiet down a bit!" She lets out a huff, and doesn't say anything more until it's completely silent. "So, without further delay… I'm going to confess! Pay attention, everyone!"

All eyes are fixated on Junko as she begins to move further into the dining hall. She walks slowly to her destination, eyes fixed clearly on her objective… our table.

" _S-She doesn't know about me though, so…!"_

She winks at me as she passes by, stopping directly in front of the only other guy at our table.

"Gundham Tanaka, will you go out on a date with me?"


	16. Prelude

The entire cafeteria is in a state of shock. No one is more surprised than Gundham, however. He gapes at Junko, shocked to his core.

"Excuse me?" He asks, usual speech pattern gone.

"No need to pretend like you didn't hear me…" Junko leans down to where her face is just inches from his. "I've seen you looking at me, too."

Gundham visibly bristles from the proximity. "You… what is it that you're talking about?"

"Whatever do you mean?" She gasps, pulling away. "It's obvious that you'd been looking at me too, right? Why would I lie about such a thing?"

The reserve course students in the cafeteria begin to stir.

**"No way would he turn her down…! She's a babe!"**

**"Why isn't he accepting already?"**

**"Would he really reject her with everyone watching like this?"**

"Come on, it'll be fun!" She urges, dazzling smile in place. "Dinner, a movie… won't you at least give me a chance? Pretty please?"

I bite my lip. Gundham isn't a mean person, and he's very easily embarrassed… Junko may be a witch, but does he know that?

Could he really be so cruel as to shoot down a girl's public confession?

"Back away from me, harlot!"

…

…Apparently, yes.

The entire room lets out a collective gasp. Junko _gapes_ at his reaction, mouth opening and closing as she tries to find her voice.

"H-Harlot!?" She bellows, absolutely horrified.

"You heard me! You vile creature of the night… To think you'd dare approach me, the Supreme Overlord of Ice, with such a presumptuous idea that I'd be interested in your devilry!? Wither…"

"I just asked you on a _date_!" She yells, anger setting in. "Is this how you talk to women, you jerk!?"

"A mere date? Ha!" He stands up, crossing his arms at her. "Only a fool would fall into such an obvious trap! Your persona is as fake as your bosom!"

A glass breaks somewhere off in the distance. Did Gundham really just…?

**"Did… did he just call her tits _and_ her fake at the same time?"**

**"Jesus, she got slammed!"**

**"So glad I came early for this…!"**

"…!" This seems to get to her, as she slings an arm over her chest. "What would you know about my personality anyway!? We've never even spoken before!"

"All the more reason to be suspicious!" He scoffs. "No sensible woman would set up a stage in order to confess amorous feelings… Even a mortal without sight would be able to sense your rotten soul from leagues away! You must have something to gain from approaching me like this…"

Junko looks like she's at an absolute loss for words. She simply stands there, as if her brain suddenly stopped working.

 _"As much as I feel bad for admitting this…"_ I have to fight hard to keep the smile off my face. _"Seeing Junko so thoroughly rejected…!"_

This is the _best!_

I see tears start to well up in her eyes. "You're… so cruel! How could you _do_ this in front of so many people!?"

A murmur passes through the crowd, but Gundham could care less. He continues without even bothering to listen to the whispers.

"I care not for your crocodile tears, wench!" He yells turning away. "Seeing you do this has only proven my point further; trying to gain _sympathy_ from the other lowly mortals that you led here… your heart reeks of decay! Now leave me be!"

"Hey!" She yells, snatching up his bandaged wrist. Evidently… it seems her crying really was fake. "You're making a huge mistake-"

"Nay, it is _you_ who has made a mistake! Retreat now, foul siren!" Gundham quickly snatches his arm away from her. "You dare challenge me with so many witnesses…? Are you truly such a martyr that you'd keep this farce alive!?"

"…" She glances around the cafeteria. Not a single person is jumping to her aid. "Fine…! I'll leave! But I won't forget this!"

She stalks off, shoving people out of her way as she goes. Once she's clear of the doorway, the conversations pick up once more.

"Jeez, talk about breakfast and a show! That was awesome!" A reserve course boy is talking loudly from the table beside us, furiously typing away on his phone. "And I got front-row footage of the whole thing…! Twitter fame, here I come!"

"Dude, don't do that!" The boy next to him looks absolutely appalled. "You and I both came here to see her in the flesh! Isn't that kind of like betraying her?"

The other boy snorts. "Oh come on! It's not like we're a mindless army that came to do her bidding, stupid! And this-" He holds up his phone. "Is pure _gold_. I love seeing someone's pride do them in, seriously."

I tear myself away from the conversation and turn towards Gundham… or where he would have been, at least. "Where did he go?"

"He left as soon as Junko was gone." Sakura answers, worried frown in place. "He didn't say a word to any of us…"

"That was _awesome_ though!" Ibuki yells, face contorted in a mix of awe and horror. "I can't believe it! Gundham got confessed to for the second time, rejected someone for the first, and got revenge for Chihiromon's dress without even realizing it! The universe's karma delivery system is amazing!"

"W-Wait… what?" Did Ibuki just imply that he'd…? "Ibuki, what do you-?"

"Never mind all this drama!" Hina yells, pulling attention to her. "Chihiro, we were supposed to meet up last Thursday to talk! Where the heck were ya?"

"Last Thursday…?" I furrow my brow in confusion, making a mental note to ask Ibuki about it later. "What about it?"

"Oh come on! You don't remember?" She puffs out her cheeks in a pout. "You were supposed to come up with an idea for us for Halloween! We need to get our group costume together!"

Crap.

"I-I'm so sorry, Hina!" I say, feeling genuinely bad. "W-With everything that's gone on, it sort of… slipped my mind."

"D'awh, Chihiro! You suck!" She smacks her head on the table. "I was counting on you to do this…"

"I-I promise I'll think on it today, alright?" I pull out my phone to set an alarm reminder. "Though I really don't know how _I_ became the idea person…"

"Oh, oh!" Ibuki looks absolutely wild about the subject change. "You're talking about the contest at the beginning of Festival Week, right?! Man, Ibuki loves dressing up! Last year, she went as a fairy princess! Though… Ibuki did end up ruining the dress Pretty Princess Sonia lent her!"

"Hey, wait a second!" Hina's head flies up from the table. "Ibuki, you're like… Queen Creative! Do you have any ideas for a group costume?!"

Ibuki crosses her eyes in thought. "A group costume? I know they make those way huge lion ones for Chinese New Years, but I don't know where you'd find one in time-"

"I think what Hina meant," Sakura cuts in. "Is a theme by which the three of us could have matching costumes."

" _Oh_ , Ibuki gets it now!" She nods sagely. "W-ell… you guys could go as a Barbershop Quartet! Er, wait… that's with four people. You know, it'd be easier if you guys had a bigger group! Not many good things come in threes! There's your standard stuff like "Three Musketeers" and "Larry, Mo, and Curly," but those are so unbelievably __lame.__ If Ibuki were to participate in a costume contest, she'd want to have a kickass theme! Like the _Super Mario_ crew or something!"

"Super Mario…?" Hina's face scrunches up in disgust.

Ibuki vigorously nods. "Yeah, totes! Y'know, Mario n' Luigi, Toad, Princess Peach, _Bowser?_ It's hella cool!"

"There's only one girl in that theme!" Hina huffs, clearly not about it. "We're trying to stop scaring off boys!"

Sakura raises an eyebrow at her. "Oh? What's this "we" business? I'm perfectly content with Kenshiro, thank you very much."

"Not helping!" Hina sticks her tongue out at her best friend before turning back to Ibuki. "C'mon, don'cha have anything else?"

"Not good enough!? Yeesh, what a tough crowd…!" Ibuki starts twisting one of her lip piercings back and forth. "You know, back in my day, once we had an idea… we'd roll with it! None of this fancy-pants _doubt_ you kids have now! If Ibuki had an idea to put on a spiky shell and be Bowser, she'd rock that out! If Ibuki wanted to save the pure hearts of maidens, she'd be a Sailor Scout! If Ibuki wanted to kill DIO, she'd-"

Hina slams her hands down on the table, cutting Ibuki off short. "That's _it!_ Sailor Scouts! That's what we'll do; it's the perfect combination of nostalgia and sex appeal!"

"E-Eh?" I feel confused. "Won't we need more people for that though? There's… five of them, if we're doing the bare minimum."

"No no, _six._ " Hina smirks, as if she'd just come up with the whole idea herself. "You're going to be Mini-Moon, obviously! You're so short and cute; it's perfect!"

An unmistakable feeling of dread forms in my gut at the idea of wearing something remotely close to that. Frilly, pink... a _wig._ "Wait, I didn't agree to do th-!"

"Ibuki wants in!" Ibuki shrieks, earning a few annoyed stares from the tables around us. "We just need two people now, right?!"

Hina nods, clearly excited. "That's right! Then we need to decide who is going to be who!"

"Er… Hina?" Sakura looks slightly uncomfortable with the idea as well. "Shouldn't I play a villain…? I do not think that I fit the part of any of the girls…"

"Nonsense!" Hina waves her off. "Most bad guys in the series die super quick! You _need_ to be a Sailor Scout, otherwise no one will know you're with us!"

Just as Sakura is about to make her argument, the ten-minute warning sounds out over the speakers. She lets out a defeated sigh.

Hina suddenly stands, chair nearly tipping over. "Okay, it's settled! We'll meet after classes let out to get started hunting for costumes! Break!"

I shoot Sakura a sympathetic look. Looks like we're both stuck doing this…

* * *

Hina, Sakura, and I parted ways with Ibuki halfway down the hall, but not before deciding to meet behind the school to discuss our costume plans.

"This is gonna be so great!" Hina flings the door to the classroom open in her merriment. "We're gonna win with this idea, I'm sure of it!"

Sakura, who usually humors Hina's enthusiasm, stays silent. Clearly our plucky friend's decision is bothering her a lot.

"D-Don't get ahead of yourself, Hina!" I answer in her stead. "Remember, we still haven't found two more people who'd be willing to join us."

"Oh blah!" She blows a raspberry in my direction. "We got all day to ask around about that! Oh, that reminds me…" Hina shoots a pointed look in my direction. "Since _someone_ forgot to come up with an idea, you get to find the two people we're missing!"

"Wha-!?" I furiously shake my head. "C-Come on, you can't lay that all on me! That's not fair!"

"What are you lot being so noisy about this early?"

I turn to see that Kyoko had just entered the classroom, face stony as usual.

"Oh, good morning!" I greet. "We were, ah… discussing some plans."

"Plans?" She questions. I see Hina's eyes flash with excitement.

"Kyoko!" She grabs up both of her gloved hands in her own, startling the detective. "You'll help us, right! We really need it!"

Kyoko looks to me, and back to her. "I'm… going to need a little more information. What is it you need help with, exactly?"

"Our group costume!" Hina cheers. "We're going as the Sailor Scouts! Isn't that awesome!?"

"Sailor… Scouts?" It's clear by the look on Kyoko's face that she doesn't know what Hina is talking about. She shakes her head. "Sorry, but costumes aren't really my thing…"

"Pleeeease?" Hina begs, eyes watery. "We won't have enough people to do it at his rate! Come on, at least go costume shopping with us! You can decide then if you're even interested after seeing what we're going for, okay?"

"Hina, don't pressure her!" I scold. "It'd be rude to drag people into this…"

"But Chihiroooo…" She whines.

Kyoko, looking somewhat nervous, speaks up. "I… suppose, I could do that. It wouldn't be fair of me to refuse right off the bat."

"Really!? That's great!" Hina pumps a triumphant fist up in the air. "Costume contest, here we come! Nothing can stop us now! We're meeting up after classes let out to discuss details, so make sure to keep your schedule open!"

"E-Eh?" Shirabe enters with around five minutes to spare, motioning for us to take a seat. I follow Kyoko over to our places by the window, starting up again in a whisper. "Kyoko, are you sure…? Sakura and I are already being forced into this, so I wouldn't want you to feel like you need to humor her!"

She shakes her head. "No, I… I would like to at least see what the costumes are going to look like before I refuse. It could be… fun."

I almost have to squint to see it, but I can see the faintest of blushes on her face as she admits this. I decide to not press it further.

Without warning, the door slams open once more. Seeing who it is, I quickly switch my gaze outside.

The _bros_ have come.

Except today, they aren't laughing and carrying on like they usually do. This causes me to glance over. Taka looks a little uncomfortable, while Mondo seems to be having the time of his life.

"Holy _shit_ you guys!" He walks over to the podium, catching the attention of everyone present. "Did you all see what went down this morning!? My day has been _made_."

"B-Brother…" Taka speaks up, albeit a bit reluctantly. "Are you sure we should be sharing this with the class? Especially when the person it's about isn't present…"

"Lighten up, bro!" He waves him off. "It's on the internet, so it's free game! Who cares?"

"Uhm…" Sayaka is the first to break into the conversation. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Babe, you didn't hear?" Leon speaks up, smirking. "Junko got fucking _rejected_ this morning."

"W-What!?" She snaps her head around, looking for the girl in question. I note that both she and Mukuro are missing from their seats. "What do you mean?"

Hifumi laughs from his seat, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Oho, indeed… I was there to witness the whole thing, along with certain other people in this class!"

"W-What does this have to do with us?" Toko huffs, looking as grim as ever. "It's not like any of us actually care…"

"You kidding?" Mondo laughs. "I musta re-watched this at least ten times by now! It's _priceless_! You're all gonna love it!"

He yanks Shirabe's nearly-untouched laptop off his desk, and slowly starts entering in the URL from his phone. As soon as he hits enter, the very same events that I witnessed in person earlier begin to play on-screen. Seems like that reserve course boy actually _did_ post it online…

As soon as the video ends, Leon and Hiro are practically in _stitches _.__ Even Celestia and Byakuya look mildly amused.

"I must say…" Celes holds a hand up to her face, seemingly to hide her smile. "Reaping what you sow is a cruel fact of life. I'd warned her not to do anything rash."

"Oh?" Sayaka questions. "Care to explain that?"

She simply shakes her head. "Let's just say her actions were ill-advised. She'd come to me for advice on this matter."

"She talked to _you_ about it…?" Sayaka looks rather put-out at this. "Why not the both of us…?"

The gambler nearly laughs, but covers it up by clearing her throat. "Trust me, this was not something you could have helped with. You aren't exactly well-versed in this area, not as much as I am."

"I know about romance!" Sayaka fumes, upset over the news. I almost want to point out that this clearly wasn't about romance, but then Celes might relay the information back to Junko. I decide to stay quiet.

"Awh, cut it out already!" Hiro wipes a tear from his eye. "I don't care how much you like someone, those burns she took were too awesome not to appreciate! Even though, y'know... I didn't understand half of 'em."

"Right?" Mondo laughs again, returning Shirabe's laptop to his desk. The teacher only lets out a grunt of acknowledgment. "I'm _so_ jealous of anyone who got to see that in person! Karma is a bitch!"

Sayaka stands from her desk with a clatter, causing all eyes to fall to her.

"You… you jerks!" She blurts out, face red with rage. "How could you laugh at someone's earnest feelings like that!? That's bullshit, and you know it!"

"Language, young lady." Shirabe chimes, turning a page in his newspaper.

"Oh come _on!_ " She points towards Mondo, who is currently cleaning his ear out with his pinky. "He cusses so much more than that!" When she realizes that he isn't going to answer, she lets out an irritated groan. "Look! The point is, it's cruel to make fun of a friend like that! We're all we have, you know? We shouldn't be laughing at someone who got their heart broken!"

"Were you watching that video at all?" Byakuya looks like he could care less about the subject, but he'd never turn down a chance to belittle someone. "It's obvious that she didn't mean what she was confessing. Get over yourself."

"Just because he said that doesn't mean it's true!" She counters, furiously shaking her head. "You just-"

"Know better than you? Obviously." His gaze returns to his book. "I wasn't referring to what he said. I'm simply making an inference based off of her actions in the video."

Celes starts playing with one of her drills. "I don't know what you're kicking such a fuss up over, dear. It's not like you encouraged her to do this. She and the white-haired boy will be back together in an instant; what's the harm in being amused over a silly mistake?"

"...! Whatever! I'm going to talk to her!" In a frenzy, she yanks up her bag from her desk and stomps over to the door. "I hope you guys realize how horrible you are! I won't stand by and leave her all alone after this!"

Saying this, Sayaka slams the door shut behind her with a resounding smack, leaving us all in silence.

Shirabe looks up from his paper long enough to glance to the door. "...Who wants to be the one to tell her that this counts as an absence? She didn't ask me to leave."

The conversation lulls for only a moment before it picks back up.

Leon snorts. "Jeez… talk about an overreaction."

"I do not believe that is the way to win her affections, Mr. Kuwata." Hifumi snickers, earning him a shoe to the head. "Gah-!"

"Can it, Lardo!" Leon grouses, not bothering to grab his fallen shoe. "Like __you'd__ know the first thing about bagging a chick…"

"Hold on a moment-!" Taka turns to Shirabe in alarm over the act of violence, but lets out a dejected sigh when he realizes how little our teacher actually cares. Then, for whatever reason, his gaze travels towards me. I quickly turn my attention back towards the action.

Hiro scratches at his scruff. "Y'know Leon, with how often he faps, he may have an edge over you."

"That's nasty, dude!" His face contorts with disgust.

Hifumi pushes himself to a stand, clearly offended by the statement. "And I do not "fap," as you put it!" He yells. "My creations are pure!"

"Pure porno, maybe…" Hiro leans back in his chair. "Face it Leon, you've got the most pathetic love life of all of us!"

"Wanna bet?" Leon smirks, looking over to Mondo. "At least I can be forward about who __I__ like. I'm not a nervous puss like some people in here."

This wipes the smile right off the gang leader's face. "You shut your mouth, Leon! I swear to fucking god, I'll-"

"Woah, woah! Cool it, hothead!" The baseball star leans forward to rest his chin on his hands. "I'm just saying, man… I'm not the one who fucked up my last ten chances at relationship by turning into a nervous pile of swears!"

"Ten times, brother!?" Taka looks absolutely scandalized. "How did ten women manage to reject you?"

"Fuck you Leon! I told you that shit in confidence!" Mondo is absolutely fuming, face crimson. "At least I'm not as bad as Hiro over there; he can't date anyone here without being a damn pedophile!"

"Hey, I resent that! Most of you guys are eighteen, or almost at least!" He stands, sandals clapping hard against the floor. "Everyone says I act like a child anyway, so it's not like it matters!"

"It does too, y-you idiot!" Toko practically growls.

He looks shocked. "Y-yeah? Well at least __I__ didn't knock a vibrator out of Sayaka's bag during the beach trip like Leon did!"

Makoto's face lights up like a stop light. "A-A vibrator!?"

"Hey now!" Leon stands and points an accusing finger towards Hiro. "That was never proven, dammit!"

"It so was, dude. I saw it!" Hiro affirms with a sagely nod.

"I can attest to this as well." Hifumi gives a thumbs up towards Hiro, who instantly returns the gesture.

"Wait, seriously!?" Hina looks floored at the very idea of it. "Is that what that pink thing was!? Why would she bring something like that with her…?"

Everyone in the room, with the sole exception of Taka and his blissful ignorance, simply _stares_ at her… myself included.

"Hina…" Sakura, who'd finally snapped out of her funk, finally speaks up. "Do we need to have a talk later, or…?"

"No!" She fumes, face crimson. "I-I know what it's _for_ , I just… I don't know why she'd bring it with her! Wasn't she going to be sharing a room with Leon!?"

A poorly thought out diversion on her end, but it seems to work; Leon slams his head down on his desk, causing Mondo and Hiro to start cackling.

Hina, on her part, looks genuinely confused. "W-What!? Was it something I said…?"

…I stand from my desk, and ask Shirabe if I can leave. There's no need to sit and watch this any longer; I don't think I could keep myself from blushing if they went ahead and explained _why_ Leon was upset about her bringing it with her. He naturally allows it.

"It doesn't seem we're going to get any learning done today anyway." He waves me off, eyes never leaving his paper. "Just make sure you're on time for your next class, alright?"

I grab my stuff and walk out of the room, not wanting anyone to think I left because I was uncomfortable. Just as I think I'm about to get away from the class free and clear…

"Chihiro, wait a moment!"

I turn back to see Taka exiting the room as well, bag lofted onto his shoulder.

He doesn't meet my gaze as he approaches me. "Do you mind if we… talk?"

* * *

I ended up leading Taka back to my room so that we could talk in private. Originally he was against the idea; something about it being amoral to be in a girl's room alone. After a bit of convincing though, he agreed that it would be better than speaking out in the open.

"So…" I start off, setting my stuff beside my bed and sitting on it. Frederick's sleeping form is taking up most of the space on it, so I'm left sitting on the edge. "What was it you wanted from me, exactly?"

Taka, who'd already looked uncomfortable, stiffens up more than I had thought possible. He looks almost like a statue with how he's standing awkwardly off to the side.

"...Taka?" I frown. Originally I was planning on being aloof and distant, but the way he's acting is extremely concerning… I move to stand directly in front of him, waving a hand in front of his face. "Hey, are you okay?"

The recoil is instant. He jumps away from me and quickly shakes his head… though I'm unsure if he's saying no, or trying to get a hold of himself. "Ch-Chihiro… I fear I have done wrong by you."

I can't help but feel confused. "Meaning…?"

He looks angry, in a way. Ashamed maybe? "…It's been a week since I spoke with you last."

"...I know that." I hug my arms to myself. "What about it though?"

"I…!" He shakes his head again. "I had been so caught up with brother that I didn't realize it until earlier! When you looked away from me like that… it was like reality had come to slap me in the face! I am so, so sorry…"

It's strange, really. I'd half expected him to break down in a dramatic sobbing fit like the day we met, but this…? It isn't over-done, it isn't unnecessary… it's just genuine emotion.

So much so that I find myself at a loss for words.

"Even though we'd been friends only a short amount of time, I…" I see his jaw tighten. "In that moment, I felt like no reality would be worse than you hating me. I don't understand why, but… I simply couldn't bear the thought of it! That's why I'd decided to leave the classroom and follow you… as difficult as it was."

Coming from Taka, I don't doubt that. He'd never allow himself to miss even a moment of school ordinarily… even if it was just nonsense.

"I'm not asking you to forgive me!" He finally looks at me, eyes raw with emotion. "If anything, I'd prefer it if you didn't. The fact that I blatantly ignored you for a week, whether I was conscious of it or not… it's inexcusable. No new friend is worth another, bro or otherwise! I just…" He looks away. "I just needed to tell you that I'm sorry."

…If I had any resolve left to act cold towards Taka… it's definitely gone by now.

"T-Taka…" He doesn't look at me as I call out to him. "Listen, I… I don't hate you. Not at all! I was pretty upset last week, I'll admit that… it felt like you guys had abandoned me. On top of Mukuro avoiding me, it just… stung."

I pause to gauge his reaction. He still won't look at me.

"I'm really glad you came to talk to me." I add. "It makes me feel a lot better that you at least noticed it… so I don't want you to beat yourself up."

He _still_ doesn't react though. Rather, it seems like he's making a point out of refusing to look at me.

For some reason… that bothers me.

I stare at him for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to get him to look my way. I suddenly get an idea… though it's a bit embarrassing.

I steel myself, and walk up to him.

"Taka…"

His gaze whips down to look at me as soon as I get my arms around him in a hug. The position is a little awkward given our differing heights; I have to stand on my tip-toes just to reach his chest, and I can feel my neck straining a bit at the angle… but at least I got his attention.

"I meant every word I said." I say with a smile, glad he finally looked at me. "Please… don't feel bad. I'm just glad we were finally able to talk about this, okay? Please, don't get hung up on it." I let him go as soon as I make my point clear. Just as I'm about to step back though…

He leans over, pulling me into another hug.

"T-Taka…?" I almost pull away in surprise over the sudden action, but suddenly I can hear him mumbling into the crook of my neck.

"You… really don't hate me?" He sounds shocked. "Not even a little?"

"N-No!" I can't help but feel a little panicked. It doesn't have the same gravity as the situation with Gundham the other day, but I'd never seen Taka _hug_ someone before he and Mondo became friends. Just what kind of impact are they having on each other...? "I could never hate you, Taka!"

He doesn't say anything, but I can feel the shoulder he's resting his head on become damp. I let out a sigh, reaching my arms around him and returning the gesture.

After a moment, he pulls away. "I… apologize." He furiously wipes his tears away with his sleeve. "I'd been doing my best to contain my emotion, but it seems I failed. Brother told me that real men don't cry unless something horrible happens…"

I shake my head and snatch up a tissue from the box I have on the night stand, offering it to him. "Not a lot of people wear their heart on their sleeve like you do, but I think it's just one of the great things about you! Don't let Mondo or anyone else tell you otherwise, okay?"

He nods, gratefully accepting it. "I understand… Thank you, Chihiro. For everything." Taka shoots me another one of his dazzling smiles; it seems like this really lifted a weight off his shoulders. "I mean it. You're a fantastic friend!"

"N-No problem!" Suddenly I'm very aware of our proximity. I'm not used to him being so close...! "Ah, s-shouldn't we get going to our next class?"

Taka glances to the watch he has on his wrist. "We still have a bit of time to spare before we switch classes… oh!" He smacks his fist in his hand. "Now that we've cleared the air, so to speak… I have a question!"

"O-Oh?" I move away from him anyway, deciding to plug my phone in so that I'd have a proper excuse. "What is it? I'll do my best to answer!"

Turning back to face him, I see his brow furrowed in thought. "Earlier, before we left… they were talking about why Sayaka was angry at Leon during the trip."

"Yeah." I nod. "What about it-"

"Chihiro, what is a "vibrator" used for?"

…

Oh dear _god._

If ever there were a time I'd wish to be struck by lightning, now would be it.

"Y-You don't know…?" I manage to ask. "I mean… it's c-common knowledge for people our age, right?"

Ruefully, he shakes his head. "Unfortunately, as you know, I'm not exactly apt when it comes to knowledge of things other than the academic… Everyone else seemed to know what they were discussing; I must make sure I understand this topic just in case it comes up in conversation again!"

I bite my lip. Sure enough, the heat begins to pool in my cheeks.

God, why _me?_

"So?" Taka smiles at me again. "You'll teach me this, right?"

…He's standing in front of the door. There's no escape.

I... really don't have a choice. I'm going to have to tell him.

I frantically look around, trying to come up with some sort of excuse. "U-Uh, you see…! This kind of thing is going to take a while to explain, you know? You'd be better off researching it during your free-time!"

"Oh, I see!" He nods. "Very well then. I'll go to the library later and look it up myself!"

"What!?" I frantically shake my head. "N-No, don't-! I mean… don't you have a computer in your room for your personal use…?"

"What on earth would I need that for?" Taka laughs, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It'd be silly to have a computer of my own when this school has some for public use!"

I bury my face in my hands.

"O-On second thought!" I blurt. "I'll explain it to you after classes let out, okay!? Don't go to the computers!"

"You're sure?" He asks. The look on his face is so innocent…! "I have no problems finding it out for myself-"

"No no, no!" I grab my bag and start shoving him out of the room, doubling back once I realize my phone is plugged in. "I'll tell you, okay!? T-There's no need for that! Just wait a bit after classes let out, and I'll explain it properly!"

"H-Hey, why are we leaving so soon!?"

* * *

After a long walk back to the main part of the school, Taka and I decide to just go back to Shirabe's class. There's only a few minutes left, but Taka seemed uncomfortable with just roaming the halls.

I open the door. The topic seems to have changed since we left, much to my relief.

Mondo is the first to notice us, waving at us from where he's leaning back precariously in his seat. "Yo, bro! Chi! Where did you two go?"

"J-Just back to the dorm area!" I ask, doing my best to play it cool.

Hiro leers at us, puffing out his bottom lip. "Oh yeaaah? Why did you two even leave in the first place?"

Celes inspects her nails. "They probably became uncomfortable with the topic."

"Not at all!" Taka shakes his head. "Actually, if I'm being honest… I'd followed Chihiro out to ask about that!"

"That…?" Hifumi snaps his fingers. "Ah yes, _that!_ "

"Ha!" Celes holds a hand out to Leon. "Seems I won our little bet; I had a feeling he would be completely clueless in regards to this subject."

As the baseball star begrudgingly produces a rumpled five-dollar bill from his pocket, Taka shakes his head and beams at the class.

"Not for long!" He cheers. "Chihiro has kindly offered to give me a personal lesson in regards to the subject!"

"What the _fu-!?_ "

Mondo unceremoniously loses his balance and falls to the floor. All eyes fall to me, causing my face to light up.

"I-It's not what it sounds like!" I bury my face in my hands. "God, why me…!?"

Taka, still enjoying his blissful ignorance, pulls me into a one-armed hug. This hugging thing seems like its going to be a norm from now on... "Because you're obviously the best person for the job! So knowledgeable in so many ways!"

Leon lets out a whistle. "Yo, Chihiro! I didn't think you had it in you! I'm kinda jealous, actually…"

"No way!" I shriek, feeling absolutely mortified. "I would never…! He was going to go and look it up in the library if I didn't…! I-I was just going to explain it to him!"

"Indeed, Ms. Fujisaki!" Hifumi wiggles his eyebrows. "We can all see how _well_ you were going to explain it to him!"

"Now now." Celes looks amused, at the very least. "Don't pester the poor girl over it too much; we all know that's probably the truth, knowing how Taka is."

"Knowing how I am…?" Taka looks completely lost, seemingly proving Celes' point.

"Oh… right." Mondo pulls himself off the floor, plopping down in his chair again. "Yeah, no way _that_ would have been it…"

"Although…" The goth puts a hand to her lips. "We never know. Chihiro's little lesson may very well awaken the beast. Who can say she'd be able to resist?"

Mondo's next stream of expletives is drowned out by the chime of the school bell. Taking this opportunity to escape, I rush out into the hall, practically running towards the next class.

_"Why me!?"_


	17. Wait, What?

"Come on, Chihiro! You can do it!"

This is hell.

"Dude, there's no way she's going to be able to go through with this."

I'm in hell.

"She won't ever be able to start if you guys keep talking! Shush!"

Classes for the day ended not ten minutes ago and… I can't believe I'm even _saying_ this, but I just want to go pick out my stupid frilly costume! Anything would be better than this…!

"Chihiro is already turning pink, and she hasn't even said anything!" Leon laughs, kicking up his feet on the desk he's occupying. "No way in hell she's going to be able to go through with it."

"Only because you're making such a fuss over it, dipshit." Mondo clips, glaring at the ceiling. "Why are you even here?"

"Gee man, I dunno. Why are _you_ even here?" Leon shoots a sidelong look at the gang leader. "I mean, it's _just_ a lesson. We could have left her to explain this to Taka on her own, you know?"

"That's…" Mondo sighs and scratches the back of his head. "I'm here to help her through the hard parts, alright!?"

He snorts. "The hard parts, indeed…"

"You son of a-!"

"Why are you only giving me shit for being here, anyway?" Leon points to the other three unexpected occupants in the room. "I'm pretty sure those three girls aren't Taka, either."

Hina puffs out her cheeks. "We have something to do right after this! It doesn't make sense to split up!"

Kyoko just sighs and shakes her head.

"Not to mention…" Sakura clears her throat, giving Leon and Mondo an especially hard look. "We're here to assure that Chihiro isn't pressured into explaining anything more than what is necessary. The minute she becomes uncomfortable…"

"Its fine!" I blurt, gripping the podium at full force. "I-I promised I'd explain it properly to him, so a few more people shouldn't make a difference… r-right?"

"Ah, are we beginning the lesson then?" Taka asks, perking up slightly. "Fantastic! Everyone, please quiet down so Chihiro can begin! We've had enough distractions as it stands!"

Taka beams at me. He's sitting in the desk directly in front of the podium, giving me his full attention.

"R-right… so…" I sigh. Just make it as clear as possible, as fast as possible. You can do it, Chihiro! "A vibrator is… exactly what it sounds like!"

"Exactly what it sounds like?" Taka crosses his arms.

"Er, yeah!" I nod. "Its a thing. That vibrates."

I hear a snort and hear a murmur that sounds vaguely like "smooth" from Leon's direction. Any other jeers he had are quickly cut off by a loud smack and a grunt of pain.

"That's all it does?" Ignoring the fuss behind him, Taka keeps his gaze steady, confusion showing clearly in his bright red eyes. "What use is a random object that just… vibrates?"

"Well…!" I feel my cheeks start to heat up. "I-Its also often referred to as a "personal massager." People use it to… relieve stress."

"I see!" Taka scribbles down something in his notebook. "So its used to relieve stress… is it a portable version of one of those massaging chairs?"

"Sort of, but…" Letting out a shaky sigh, I quickly grab my skirt out of habit. "I-Its more private than that. People tend to buy them just for themselves o-or… someone special to them. Its not something people just… go around saying they have. That's why Sayaka was upset that people saw the one she had."

Taka, for what it's worth, seems genuinely perplexed by my words. There's no malice in his next question, no teasing. Just pure curiosity.

"What exactly do you mean by "private," Chihiro? Why would Sayaka be embarrassed about something used to relieve stress?"

Oh god.

He's staring at me so intensely, so seriously…! If I wasn't bright red by now, surely I must have just reached that point. I pause to collect myself.

"W-Well… basically… i-its a private massager!" I say after a moment. "Easy, right?"

He continues to stare. "I understood __that__ part, but I was hoping for a little more-"

"T-Taka!" I blurt, cutting him off. "Listen closely. I-Its a _massager_."

He nods.

"A _private_ massager."

He nods again. The way he's looking at me tells me that he has no idea what I'm getting at.

"Er, Chi…" Mondo looks mildly uncomfortable as he catches my attention. "I can just take him out of here to explain it! You don't gotta push yourself-"

"Nonsense!" Taka turns back to Mondo and gives him a scathing look. "Chihiro is doing a fine job in giving this lesson! We shouldn't underestimate her abilities, brother!"

"You aren't catching on to what she's saying at all though!" Leon sighs and kicks his feet off the desk, opting to prop his head up on his arms instead. "Really man, you shouldn't be putting her through this when you can't even realize that-"

"Understanding comes with time!" The moral compass turns to me and smiles, clearly trying to encourage me. "I'm sure I'll come to understand it if we just let her finish the lesson properly!"

I quickly bury my face in my hands. I _must_ look like a tomato by now, but he still can't seem to put two and two together…

"T-Taka, come on! How else can I put this to make you understand…?" Not having any options left, I decide to keep my face buried in my hands as I try to take the _blunt_ route. "Its a massager that people use to… s-stimulate themselves!"

A few seconds of silence go by without a murmur. I peek out my fingers to see how well he's taking the information.

He's still just… smiling.

"Don't all massage tools do that, though?"

My hands fall to my sides. He's… oblivious. Too pure for this sinful earth. I can only gape at him for a moment before my embarrassment finally reaches its peak.

"You…!" I fist my hands in my skirt once more and crush my eyes shut. "I-Its something people use to _masturbate_ , Taka!"

…

Leon loses it. He falls to the floor in his merriment, clutching his sides as he gasps for air. I watch Taka's expression shift slowly from confusion to horror.

"W-What!?" He rockets to a stand, chair falling over from the force of it. "Ma…mastur-!?"

"Oh my _god_ , Chihiro!" Hina is blushing scarlet as well, looking at me in horror. "Did you have to say it like that!?"

"I-I had no choice! He didn't- I _tried_ to be subtle, but…!" I quickly turn away from everyone, leaning my arms on the blackboard and burying my face in them. "Y-You knew what this was about anyway! Why are you surprised!?"

"Ahaha, ha, oh- That-" I hear Leon gasp out from behind me. "That was the _best!_ Chihiro, I didn't think you had it in you to go through with it! I'm so glad I stayed behind for this…!"

"Chihiro, are you okay?" I turn around at Sakura's worried tone. Her expression is stormy. "Perhaps I should have intervened…"

"Bro, do you understand why I wanted to just tell you myself?" Mondo's cheeks are dusted the faintest shade of pink from my outburst. "This kinda thing is a bit…"

"I… I had no idea!" As the shock wears off, Taka's complexion reddens almost instantly. "To think I asked Chihiro about such a subject…!"

"I don't mind explaining things to you Taka, but-" I let out a shaky breath. "Next time, don't announce these things to everyone… p-please just let me explain in private!"

Bad wording on my part. All eyes shift to me.

"Not like that!" Frantically shaking my head, I try to resist the urge to bolt out of the room. "I-Its just too much to explain in front of multiple people…! I don't mind explaining otherwise-!"

"No!" Taka, still looking mortified, bends over to right the chair he knocked over. "This subject is entirely inappropriate…! I have no interest in learning anything more!"

Leon snorts and claps Taka on the back as he stands back up, making him stumble. "Hey now, you should accept her offer! I'd love to have some one-on-one sex ed lessons with a cute girl… At least you have the excuse of being totally ignorant!" The baseball star looks over to me and winks. "Unless you wanna extend the invitation to the rest of us, too!"

"H-Hell no!" Mondo looks absolutely flustered at this point, gripping Taka's shoulders and spinning him around so that he's looking him in the eye. "Fuck that! Let me explain shit like this to you in the future, okay!? Don't make Chihiro go through that ever again!" He looks over the moral compass' shoulder and glares at Leon. "And _no one_ is having any kind of private fucking lesson!"

"I already said that I don't-!"

"Dude, you're just jealous that she didn't offer to give you a private _fucking_ lesson!" The baseball star lets out a cackle at Mondo's poor word choice, but quickly silences himself when he takes a swipe at his head. "-Woah! Chill, man! Shit… can't a guy make a joke around here?"

"As much as I'd hate to interrupt…" Kyoko smoothly cuts into the banter, having been silent up to this point. "But we do have somewhere to be. I assume you lot are fine without Chihiro's further guidance on the subject?"

"I am certain they will be." Sakura brushes past the boys and puts her hand on my upper back, gently pushing me towards the door. "Let's not waste any more time here. We've kept Ibuki waiting long enough."

Not wanting to face any of them at this point, I jump on the chance to escape, allowing Sakura to lead me out of the room without another word.

* * *

"There you guys are!"

We finally make it to our designated meeting spot behind the school. Ibuki is happily waving to us from her place on the grass. Leaning against the tree beside her is a second stoic silverette I hadn't expected to see today.

"Peko?" The girl in question shoots me a slight smile before returning to her usual stony visage. "Why are you here?"

"Ibuki asked her to join us!" She leaps to her feet, making a "ta-da" gesture towards the swordswoman. "Pekopeko totally fits the "shining justice" theme that is the Sailor Scouts! Ibuki would have been a _fool_ to pass her up as a candidate!"

Peko clears her throat, shooting Ibuki a sidelong look. "I only agreed because she made it sound dire. I didn't learn what I would be doing until after I'd already promised to assist."

"I see that you haven't been slacking either, my sweet underclassmen!" Ibuki jumps forward, giving Kyoko an extremely exaggerated up-down look. "A hardboiled detective from the cold streets of New York turned into a magical girl?! I can see the appeal!"

"I've only agreed to go costume shopping at this point." Kyoko doesn't flinch under the rockstar's appraisal. "And I am not from New York."

"Bawh, you'll come around in the end Kyokopuffs!" Ibuki turns around and starts heading back into the school. "Onward, my lovelies! Tonight…we dine in hell!"

"Ibuki, slow down for a second!" She stops mid-step when I call out to her, completely frozen. "We need to decide who is going to be who first, remember?"

"Pfft, durr!" Ibuki starts walking backwards towards us until she's back in the small circle we formed. "Ibuki wants to be Sailor Mars! Dibs!"

"That's fine!" Hina nods, giving a thumbs up in approval. "You totally already have the hair for it! Besides the streaks, I mean."

"I've already been forced into the roll of Mini Moon…" I bite the inside of the cheek a bit. "That means we have Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury left."

"I'm unsure as to what these characters look like…" Kyoko admits, crossing her arms slightly. "I can't exactly say who I resemble the most."

"Oh, right!" I pull out my phone and quickly search for a group picture of the Scouts, showing it to the detective. "Here."

"...I see." Kyoko looks a bit perplexed. "They're very… colorful."

"Pekopeko should totally be Mercury!" Ibuki shouts. "She's the most quiet, and she has the shortest hair!"

"I do believe her hair is only it's current length because of how she has it done… Couldn't we just get wigs to match the characters?" Sakura points to me. "Chihiro is going to need one, no? And none of us have blonde or blue hair…"

"Silly rabbit!" Ibuki wags her finger. "Costumes look way better when you don't use fakey-fake wigs! We can get Chihiro extensions that _look_ natural, and just use all the dye! All of it!"

"W-Wait, we're _dyeing_ our hair?" Hina looks a bit mortified at the suggestion. "I'd totally have to bleach mine then!"

"You could just be Jupiter, Hina." Sakura suggests, pointing to the character on my phone. "She _does_ have brown hair, after all…"

"Oh… fine!" Hina puffs out her cheeks. "Since we're doing it like this then, I think you should be Sailor Moon!"

"I'd… prefer not to be in the center, if at all possible." Sakura glances away slightly. "I still think I'd be better suited to play a villain-"

"No good, no good!" Ibuki forms an X with her arms. "No villains, only justice! I guess that means you default to Venus!"

"I'm not sure that's-"

"Which means…" Ibuki rushes behind Kyoko, pulling her hair up into two twintails. "She's the one and only Sailor Moon!"

"... _ _Potential__ Sailor Moon." Kyoko corrects. "Not only do we have one more character available, but I haven't decided to participate yet."

"Most of the costumes are decided now, at the very least. We can settle the rest later." Peko pulls out her phone, nodding at what she sees at the screen. "The car should be here shortly to take us to the shopping center. Let's make our way to the front of the school."

"Woah, you got us a ride already!?" Hina squeals and grabs Kyoko's and Sakura's wrists. "Our vision is on it's way to becoming reality! Let's go, ladies!"

The energetic swimmer drags along the two least-willing participants in our group, with Ibuki following hot on their heels. I choose to walk along with Peko.

"Did you borrow one of your family's drivers?" I ask, looking up to her. "I bet Fuyuhiko was surprised when you told him what it was for!"

"Actually…" Peko glances away. "I simply called a commercial limousine for us. I haven't told Young Master about this yet."

"Eh?" I blink. "Why haven't you?"

The swordswoman falls silent for a moment, opening and closing her mouth a few times as she tries to find her words. "...I'll admit that I've had a slight… _fascination_ with Sailor Moon. Ever since I was a child, I mean." Her cheeks dust the faintest shade of pink. "Fuyuhiko is well aware of this, so surely he'd…"

"...He'd totally tease you about it, right?" I smile. "You're going to have to tell him eventually…"

"H-He can find out during the contest!" She furiously shakes her head. "There's no reason for him to know about it beforehand!"

"Calm down, Peko!" Her cheeks are turning a dangerous shade of red as she picks up her pace slightly. "Is it really such a big deal…? More importantly, won't he be asking about where you are anyway if you start sneaking around without him?"

"Not at all. Young Master has given me explicit permission to accompany you off school grounds!" She speeds up even more. "Come on then! It's rude to keep everyone waiting."

"S-Slow down a little!" I reach out and catch her wrist. "What do you mean he's given you permission? Don't you need to stay by him?"

"...Ah." Realizing her haste, she exhales a bit and stops. "Given your current situation Chihiro, both Fuyuhiko and I felt like it was important that you have someone able-bodied near you whenever possible. Its one thing if you're within the school, but outside is a different story; you absolutely shouldn't go out alone anywhere."

"I-I mean… I appreciate the thought, but…" I glance over to the school building. "Is it really okay for _him_ to be alone? He's still the son of a gang boss…"

"No one would be foolish enough to enter Hope's Peak to try and kill him. Even if they were-" Peko laughs the slightest bit. "He's able to protect himself. As much as it pains me to admit this, Fuyuhiko doesn't need me as much anymore. He's grown a lot since coming here…"

Mixed emotions are showing clearly on Peko's face. Happy, yet… still so very sad.

"Peko…"

"We've kept everyone waiting long enough." Peko starts off again, but at a much more relaxed pace than before. "I'm sorry to have brought up such a thing so suddenly. It was strange timing on my part."

"N-No, don't be!" I start up after her. "I'm always happy to listen to your worries if you need it, okay? I'd hate it if you felt like you couldn't after everything that's happened already!"

She glances down to me, then nods. "I'll… keep that in mind. Thank you, Chihiro."

Peko turns her gaze forward, and we continue walking towards the front of the school in silence. I don't mention it, but I can see her smiling ever so slightly out the corner of my eye.

* * *

"Okay! Game plan time!"

The six of us are standing in front of the shopping center's directory, scanning through the various shops available to us.

"Here's the thing…" Hina turns back to us and taps her cheek in thought. "In order to make sure we look the best, we should try to get all of our costume pieces at the same place! Makeup and hair stuff doesn't matter much… but the accessories should probably match, too!"

"Isn't that going to be an issue…?" I motion between Sakura and I. "We're… not exactly in the normal strike zone for most clothing stores."

"It is! Which is why…" Hina points to a store in the corner of the mall on the map. "We go there!"

"A tailor?" Peko squints up at the store name. "No, wait… "Kostume Kingdom…?" Is that a party store or something?"

"Nope! It's a specialty shop!" The swimmer puffs out her chest in triumph. "I asked Hifumi about places to go for costumes earlier! He said this place was the best of the best when it came to making outfits, guaranteed!"

I shoot her a sidelong glance. "Hifumi recommended this place to you…?'

"He did!" She cheers. "He goes to conventions all the time to, er… market his product? Uh, wait…!" Hina blushes slightly. "I-It isn't anything dirty, jeez! He just so _happened_ to go to a convention recently, and they had a booth there! Apparently the stuff they had on display was super high quality!"

Sakura sighs a bit, relaxing visibly. "I was afraid he'd used this place as reference to his… craft. That's somewhat of a relief."

"I'd never go to a sex shop for costume stuff, jeez!" Hina crosses her arms and puffs out her cheeks. "I may be a ditz, but I'm not _that_ much of a ditz! I did my research before suggesting it!"

"Hina…" Kyoko looks pensive for a moment. "How do you intend to pay for this…? Custom outfits can't be cheap."

"I still have money left over from my summer job!" She scratches the back of her head. "I mean, it can't be that expensive, right? We'll be fine!"

Saying that, Hina jerkily turns around and darts off in the direction of the store. Ibuki, noticing her departure, immediately perks up. "We're finally going!? Jeebus, Ibuki was starting to fall asleep!"

As she runs after the swimmer, Sakura shakes her head and starts off after them, Peko falling into a relaxed stride after her. Kyoko and I end up taking the rear.

"She's certainly energetic." The detective has her eyes locked forward as she starts talking. "It'll be a shame when she realizes how expensive it'll be."

I sigh, smiling a little bit at the thought of how excited Hina is. "I don't mind helping her if it turns out to be too much. She'd be heartbroken if it didn't work out."

"That's rather generous of you, but…" Kyoko glances over to me. "Isn't that counterproductive?"

My face scrunches up a little in my confusion. "Counterproductive in what way…?"

"For someone who didn't want to participate in this, you'd be doing quite a bit to facilitate it by helping her pay." She clarifies. "It doesn't make much sense."

"Well…" I laugh a little, locking my hands behind me as I walk. "There's no way I can back out at this point. I may as well do what I can to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, right? Its actually a little weird to admit, but… I'm starting to have fun with it!"

"Are you?" I hear a faint huff of amusement escape her. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better, at the very least. This past week or so was… unsettling. I'd never seen you so upset."

"Y-Yeah… I'm sorry about that. I was pretty angry, and I didn't want to drag anyone else into it…" I feel a little sheepish under her gaze. "I'm better now, though! Nothing to worry about!"

Kyoko hums to herself. After a minute of silence, she speaks up again. "I'm guessing it has something to do with Mondo and Taka's newfound friendship, correct?"

I nod. "Taka apologized earlier, not that he really needed to. He was really upset when he realized he was ignoring me! I forgave him, and that's when he asked me… about _that_." My face heats up a bit at the thought of what happened earlier. I end up awkwardly clearing my throat to try and dispel the wave of embarrassment that just hit me. "N-Needless to say, we're fine."

"Oh? What about Mondo?" Kyoko frowns a bit. "Has he not…?"

"Er, no." I quickly wave her off. "Its fine though! Now that Taka realized it, I'm pretty sure he'll be actively pulling me into their conversations now. It isn't a big deal!"

"...I see." Kyoko looks perplexed for a split second before sighing. "Well, he's never been the most observant. I suppose its to be expected."

I flinch a little at the detective's blunt observation. Ever the honest one. "I-I know he isn't, which is why I'm not mad. Its just a little…"

"The fact that Taka noticed before him is a sad statement." She deadpans.

I sigh. Bullseye.

Kyoko falls silent for a beat or two, clearly thinking about something. "...May I suggest something? I'm not the most well-versed when it comes to situations like this, but… I may have an idea as to how you can get his attention."

"No, that isn't… necessary. I already said it was fine. So-" I end up cutting myself off. As his friend… I don't want to be ignored by him. I'd like for us to hang out like we always do! If Kyoko has a plan, then… I may as well hear her out. "Well… what exactly do you have in mind?"

"You'll see in a bit. Coincidentally, this helps with a problem I was having as well." She suddenly stops. "I'll explain in more depth after we finish up here."

"Here?…Oh!" Sure enough, we ended up talking the whole walk over. The store is small, but I feel strange for not having noticed it before; its bright, with outfits and accessories lining the walls and storefront. Ibuki and Hina are inside already, talking to the clerk.

"...yes, our prices do include the materials- Ah!" She smiles at us from her spot behind the counter. "Welcome! I'll be with you shortly-"

"Oh, no no. They're with us!" Ibuki cheers. "Like we said! A whole big group costume! With frills and sparkles and everything!"

"I see…" The clerk scans over all of us, nodding to herself slightly. "Alright, definitely doable! Come in, come in! I'll need to get a better look at all of you to see what I'm working with here!"

The four of us step forward, standing side-by-side with Ibuki and Hina.

The clerk takes out a pad of paper and hurriedly starts scribbling down notes. "So, there are six of you total… and you want the costumes to match each other. We'd need to make some tiaras and hair clips to go with your outfits… which scouts were you going for, exactly?"

"T-The original five plus Mini Moon…" I answer. She nods, scribbling my answer down.

"Mini Moon and Sailor Moon's outfits are the most detailed of the lot, though not by much… How soon do you need these done?"

"The week before the week of Halloween!" Hina chirps, nodding. "They absolutely need to be done by then."

"That shouldn't be an issue!" The clerk's pen blazes across the notepad as she talks. "So, including labor, materials, and a small finders fee for the matching shoes… this should be your total!"

She presents Hina the notepad with a flourish. "Alright! Let's see he-" The swimmer all but freezes in place when faced with the dreaded price. As expected, it's probably way out of her price range.

I move to take a peek at the damage, but Kyoko smoothly takes the notepad from Hina's hands. "Cost isn't an issue." Not even sparing a glance at the actual number, Kyoko slides the notepad back to the clerk and produces something from her coat pocket. "Spare no expense when it comes to these outfits. I'll accept no less than your very best work."

The woman's jaw drops at the sight of what Kyoko hands her next. Hina snaps out of her stupor to gape at the tiny rectangle along with the rest of us.

"A black card…!? A real one!? I've only seen those in movies!" Hina leans over the counter and looks at the object in the clerk's hands, awestruck. "It even has your name on it, Kyoko! What the gack!?"

"Its a card my father had given me for school expenses." She answers easily. "Is this form of payment acceptable here?" The clerk shoots her a dubious look as she walks over to the register to swipe it, but her face immediately lights up when the card clears.

"Of course, Ms. Kirigiri!" She chirps, handing the card back to the detective. "Only the finest! Since we have you all here, let's go ahead and get your measurements! I'll be right back with my things!"

As the clerk disappears into the back, I can't help but feel apprehensive. "Kyoko, is this really okay…? Won't your dad get mad?"

"The contest is being hosted by the school. I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to use it for costumes." Kyoko turns back towards us, her expression unreadable. "I've never used this card until today, either. He will have no reason to complain."

"Kyoko, you're a god!" Starry-eyed, Hina grabs both of Kyoko's gloved hands in her own. "A hero! There's no way my measly pocket change would have covered my part…!"

"It isn't an issue." The detective looks slightly flustered at Hina's proximity, but she doesn't pull away. "I'm only doing what I can to help. That said… I'll be taking the roll of Sailor Mercury as payment. I have no desire to be the center of attention."

"Bawh, fine!" Ibuki puffs out her cheeks a bit. "You're forcing Ibuki to abolish the no-wig rule! Ibuki won't allow you to cut off your luscious locks! No way, no how!"

"I… wouldn't cut off my hair regardless."

I nudge Peko a little, smiling up at her. "I guess that means you're going to be Sailor Moon, then! Lucky you."

"..." Her expression doesn't change, but I think I see her cheeks dust the faintest shade of pink. "I… I suppose that's alright."

"This is so, _so_ exciting! I can't believe it! This is going to be the best Halloween ever! It all happened so quickly too…!" Hina is practically vibrating from her place next to Kyoko. "Ohhh man, but now we won't have anything else to do after this! I was planning on trying to find stuff to work as accessories and stuff, but she's totally handling all that!"

"Isn't that a good thing, Hina?" Sakura still looks uncomfortable with the situation as she finally speaks up. "We'll have far less to worry about now."

"I mean, _yeah_ , but…" She puffs out her cheeks in a pout. "Its super lame that we're gonna end our day out early. Like, we drove here in a _limo!_ Isn't it blasphemous just to go back immediately?"

"Ah, in regards to that…" Kyoko holds up her black card, tapping it with her index finger. "How about we get an early dinner? I have something I'd like to do afterwards as well... We can discuss it once we're done here."

"Is it truly alright for you to be using that card, Kyoko…?" Sakura's brows furrow as she voices her concern. "I would hate it if you got in trouble for treating us to such frivolous things."

Kyoko merely shakes her head again as the clerk steps out from the back. "Like I said, I'll explain everything in detail once we're finished."

I glance towards the detective as she turns around to talk to the woman. Kyoko had said the same thing to me not minutes ago, and yet… I can't shake this feeling I have. Could she really be…?

* * *

"...Simply put, I'm doing this because I need to."

We're all seated at a circular table of a pretty nice restaurant in the mall. After the clerk took our measurements, we made a B-line over here to hear Kyoko's reason for being so liberal with that credit card.

"But why?" I ask. "I don't really understand it at all… what reason could you have for doing this all of the sudden?"

Kyoko sighs. Her emotions always seem to poke through when her father is involved; her usually stoic expression is pretty stormy at this moment.

"All I can say without going into specifics is that I find that man to be incredibly frustrating. There's a certain situation I've been trying to look into, but he's doing everything in his power to dodge my questions." A gloved hand taps on the table in an almost rhythmic way. "This is my solution to the problem. If I spend enough on this card, he'll have no choice but to confront me about it… assuming he's even halfway responsible with the school's funds."

"And if it doesn't work?" Peko asks. "He may very well just give you a warning without much fuss."

"...I'm aware." Kyoko looks away from us to flag down a waiter. "Even so, he's forced my hand in this situation."

I stare at the detective, who still refuses to turn towards us. It seems like my hunch from earlier was right.

She's absolutely doing this to be petty.

There's no way she'd ever admit to it, but… I can't explain it any other way. She wants to get back at him for being difficult, so she's blowing a lot of money trying to make him mad.

Who knew she could be so… vindictive?

I jump when she turns back towards us and our eyes meet. I whip my gaze away as soon as I can, but there's no way she didn't notice me staring. The waiter she flagged takes our orders and wanders off.

"...That said, this does bring me to the second thing I wanted to discuss with you lot." Kyoko laces her fingers together and rests her chin on them. "After this, we're going to be going clothes shopping."

"Clothes… shopping?" I ask. Kyoko nods. "Why though?"

"This is my solution to your problem." She answers. "I'm not certain it will work, but… an eye-catching outfit may very well get him to notice you-"

"Wait a second…" Kyoko lifts an eyebrow at my interruption. "How is that going to-!?"

A loud smack cuts off my train of thought off with a start. All eyes whip over to our resident swimmer, who had unceremoniously smacked both her hands down on the table.

"Ch-Chihiro…" Hina looks like someone shot her puppy. "How could you do this to me…?"

"W-What? Do what?" Completely flustered, I stare at the now teary-eyed swimmer. "What did I do?"

"You… you have a crush! And you didn't tell me!?" She looks absolutely crestfallen, as if this news is the worst thing she could have possibly heard. "That is _so_ not cool…"

"Eh…!? No!" I frantically shake my head. "That's not it at all!"

"Ah, I suppose I should have explained the situation better before bringing it up. My apologies." The detective nods towards me. "You may not have noticed it Hina, but Chihiro has been upset this entire past week due to both Mondo and Taka ignoring her."

"Wait, seriously…?" Hina takes a sip of her drink as she mulls over the detective's words. "…Thinking about it, that's totally right! Usually Mondo talks to everyone, but he's been glued to Taka all week!"

"Exactly. Taka realized his error and apologized, but the same can't be said for Mondo." Kyoko affirms. "I decided to offer Chihiro my assistance after I noticed she was still bothered by his lack of self-awareness."

"Okay, but while that does seem to be rather kind of you…" Peko chimes in, looking at the detective with measured coolness. "What will a new outfit do for Chihiro's situation?"

"The idea is to make him aware of Chihiro once more." She closes her eyes. "He's been so focused on his new friendship that he's essentially been blind to everything else. If we make Chihiro stand out more than she usually does, then he'll be forcibly ripped away from this blind spot he seems to be in."

"..." Peko hums. "I see. The reasoning doesn't sound too bad."

"Wait, what!?" How does that make any sense at all? That sounds completely pointless! "You agree with her?"

Sakura crosses her arms. "While I usually do not approve of underhanded tactics, I feel like its wise to be subtle when approaching this issue. If he were told directly that he's been ignoring Chihiro, he'd deny it for certain."

"Woah, why not take it a step further then!?" Ibuki asks, sparkly-eyed. "Let's dress Chihiro in some swanky new duds _and_ have her hang out with other people! Mr. Gangsterman will be totally jelly!"

"H-Hold on…" I start. "I'm not trying to make him _jealous_ , I just-!"

"Amazing idea, Ibuki!" Hina shoots her a thumbs-up. "We need to show him exactly what he was missing out on! He shouldn't be ignoring Chihiro; someone else may come along and sweep her off her feet!"

"You're perverting the subject!" I blurt. "W-we're not like that!"

Sakura hums a bit. "Even if you're not, that doesn't mean he still won't become jealous in a friendly sense. I do believe its worth a shot."

I almost want to cry. "Et tu, Brutus…?" Sakura cracks a smile at me in response.

"Its settled then." Kyoko nods, faint smirk on her face. "We'll pick out an outfit for Chihiro after this, and then somehow lure him to the front of the school upon our return. The next step may not happen immediately, but…"

"Ibuki gets it!" She all but screams, earning the attention of most everyone in the restaurant. "Once Mondo-a-go-go is totally aware of her again, he's gonna ask her to hang out! And whenever that happens…!"

"She'll reject him in favor of hanging out with someone else." Peko finishes, nodding to herself. "It seems as though we're all on the same page."

"Excellent." I look over to the mastermind of this heinous plan. There's a bit of mischief in her lavender eyes that I've never seen before, and frankly…

I'm not a fan of it!

"You're all terrible…!" I cradle my head in my hands. "There's no way this is going to go well!"


	18. Stop!

"Hey, this one is cute!"

"No way! A short Chihiromon needs a short dress!"

"I'm inclined to agree with Ibuki… That's going to drag on the ground while she walks."

Did I ever mention that clothes shopping with friends is completely chaotic?

Because it is.

Having effectively been banished to the fitting room, I'm left standing alone as I sift through the clothes being shoved at me from the five girls beyond the door. None of them can seem to agree on the style, and its already been determined by the rest of them that I'm not allowed to pick it out.

…It's a total mess in here. I pity the employee charged with putting all of this stuff back in its proper place.

I sigh and put down the most recently rejected garment, a maxi dress Hina had picked out. Its not that I dislike doing this kind of thing, but it would be better if I were allowed to help find something… everyone seems to be gravitating more towards the clothes _they_ would wear.

A knock on the door alerts me to the next outfit's arrival. I open it up a crack to see Peko standing there with more clothing in her arms.

"Ibuki picked this one out." She holds up a dark green plaid dress. "I'm worried about the cut on the neckline. Is it too revealing? I know its padded, but…"

I hum. "Usually I stay away from that style unless it has ruffles on the chest area, but… the padding may work. I'll give it a shot."

Peko nods, handing it over. "It has a zipper in the back. Would you like me to give you a hand?"

"I-If you wouldn't mind." I step back into the room, holding the dress up to examine it. Sure enough, it would be a struggle to zip it up on my own. "I don't think I'm that flexible."

The swordswoman chuckles as she steps in the room, shutting the door behind her. "That's fine. Go ahead and put it on."

Complying, I slip it over my head and pull it down to it's appropriate place. Once Peko pulls up the zipper, I examine myself in the mirror. The padded sweetheart neckline works well, surprisingly enough. The pleats in the skirt make it puff out nicely as well.

"It also comes with a waist belt." She holds up the item in question so that I can see it from the mirror. "So? What do you think?"

"...I like it, but I don't really think that's my call." I sigh, turning to face her. "I'd much rather just say yes and leave. I'm not a fan of this whole plan to begin with, so…"

"I understand why you wouldn't be." Leaning against the door, Peko lets out a small sigh. "Its a pretty underhanded tactic, not to mention the fact that they want you to play hard to get with him…"

"..." I look over to her, knot forming in my stomach. "Are the others out there right now?"

"No, they went out to look for more clothes." Peko quirks an eyebrow. "Why? Do you want me to go get them?"

"No… I just have a question for you." Now probably isn't the best time for this, but… I can't help it. I need to say something. "Peko, can you be frank with me? I've been thinking about this ever since dinner… Do you- do you think it's possible? For Mondo to have feelings for me, I mean. They all seem to be totally for it…"

"In a romantic sense…?" After a moment or two of thought, she shakes her head. "...I can't really say. I haven't actually talked with him."

"I really hope it isn't the case…" I turn around to look at myself in the mirror. Absolutely nothing about me is even close to masculine; _nothing_ even comes _close_ to betraying the fact that I'm a man. "This person I'm portraying is… a lie. If he really did have feelings for me, then-" I look down to my hands. "I don't know what I would do, Peko. It's a terrifying thought."

"Your personality isn't a lie." Peko moves to stand next to me, making me start. "Who is to say that he'd even bat an eye at your gender? If he really likes you, then…"

"That's not even…!" I shake my head. "I just- I don't even know if I'm _capable_ of dating! Even on the off chance he actually does like me, and he _doesn't_ mind my gender, I don't-!"

She blinks. "You're… unsure of yourself?"

"...You would think it'd be natural for me to like guys, right?" I scan my entire body in the mirror. "Looking as I do, it would definitely make sense. I just don't _know_ though. I've never had feelings like that towards anyone…"

Peko falls silent for a moment, appraising my reflection. "I'm not surprised that you haven't felt like that towards anyone before given your past, but… surely you must have some inclination?"

"I mean…" I sigh. "I'd be lying if I said some guys here haven't made my heart flutter, but I still find girls attractive too! Even if my situation were different, I still don't think I'd know for sure right now…"

"You shouldn't worry so much. If you like someone, you like someone. The fact that you're unsure is normal, isn't it? So that point is moot." Peko reaches over and puts a hand on my shoulder. "And in regards to your other issue… you're sensible. Even if Mondo has feelings for you, I'm sure you'd be able to handle it. Just don't give him the chance to say it if you're really that scared of the answer."

"T-That sounds easy enough in theory, but… if a time came where I'd have to keep him from saying it, wouldn't I know the answer anyway? I don't think I'd be able to speak to him properly if that were the case!" I cup my cheeks in my hands, feeling the warmth they're giving off. "I-I'd have to reject him at some point. I don't want to jeopardize our relationship by shunning him without a proper explanation…"

She purses her lips in thought. "Why not just explain it to him if it comes to that, then?"

"I-I couldn't…!" My stomach curdles at thought. "He'd be… humiliated. Crushing on a man you thought was a woman… isn't that terrible? There's no way he would be able to look past it… he'd never want to speak to me again, even in a friendly sense!"

"Then…" Peko shoots me a sidelong look. It definitely seems like she disagrees with me. "Why not just start dating someone else before he gets the chance to tell you how he feels? Assuming he _does_ feel that way about you, that is."

"W-What?" I squeak. "I couldn't just start dating someone for that reason…! That's terrible! T-That also goes right back to my point about my situation; how can I do that if they don't even know I'm a guy?"

"Fuyuhiko knows about your gender."

My heart stops for just a second. I turn around to face her properly… only to see that she looks just as stoic as ever.

She's serious.

"You can't be suggesting that we date…!" I gape at her. "A-Aren't you two already in that situation anyway?"

"I- How did you know about that?" Peko sighs and shakes her head, cheeks tinting pink. "…While its true I did harbor such feelings for Young Master at some point, I learned last year that it wasn't… meant to be. I still love him with all my heart, but it's different from a romantic love." She clears her throat, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. "In any case, that isn't what I was suggesting."

"Huh?"

She taps her index finger to her temple. "Think about it like this; if a time were to come that you would __need__ such an excuse, you could always ask Fuyuhiko to pretend with you. He knows your situation, so I don't think it should be that big of an issue for him."

"So _that's_ what you meant…" Pressing my hand to my chest, I let out a shaky sigh. "That would be asking a lot of him though, and you two are already doing so much for me-" A group of voices from outside signals someone's arrival, making me cut myself off. "I'll keep that idea in mind, at the very least. Let's go see if this gets a pass or a fail."

Peko adjusts her glasses, nodding towards me. "Alright. Just so you know, this dress is a pass from me. I feel like it looks nice on you."

I smile over to her. "Thanks, Peko."

Opening the door and stepping out, Peko and I move to stand outside the changing area where the other five are waiting for us. I snap on the waist belt just as we make it out to meet them.

"There you guys are- oh!" Hina's eyes go wide at the sight of me. "Wow Chihiro, that looks totally cute on you!"

"Ibuki knew it suited her!" She cheers. "It was calling to Ibuki from the rack; "pick me, pick me" it said! Ibuki is glad she didn't ignore it!"

"I do agree that it suits her." Sakura nods. "I am not the most adept in terms of fashion, but I feel like the black is a nice change."

"..." Kyoko nods at me after a moment. "Even though its still green, I think it's enough of a change from her usual look to make her stand out. Do you have any heels to wear with it?"

"Heels?" I shake my head. "I've never worn heels before, though…"

"That's a no then. We'll have to pick out a pair that matches." Kyoko grabs my wrist and pulls me over towards the register. "You guys go grab her things and meet us over in the shoe department. We'll go pay for this now."

"W-Wait, I'm wearing it out?" I question as I'm pulled along. "Is that even allowed?"

"I see no issue given that we're paying for it." We stop in front of the shop attendant's desk. "Where's the tag?"

"Oh, I think it's on the back…" I turn around. I feel Kyoko pull back on the zipper area and reach in.

"Let's see…" As she feels around for it, I can't help but feel self-conscious. Isn't it a little weird to be doing this in front of the employees? I jump when a gloved hand passes over a particularly sensitive spot on my back, which only serves to make me feel __more__ self-conscious. Her hand drifts over my ribs, and then dips a _little_ too close to my butt as she runs her hand around the part where the skirt is sewn to the top of the dress. After what feels like an eternity, she speaks up again. "Oh. Here it is."

Kyoko unceremoniously rips the tag out and hands it to the shop keeper along with her credit card. I breathe out a sigh of relief. "W-Was it tucked in the hem, or something?"

"Yes." She says blandly. Clearly she doesn't think much of what just happened. "Now then… what size shoe are you?"

"Six. My feet are pretty narrow…"

"...I see." She nods. "That shouldn't take too long to find, then. We'll be ready to go after that point."

"How is this supposed to work, anyway? I don't really understand it…" I look down to my feet, where my ordinary shoes and socks are still in place. "How are you going to get Mondo to the front of the school? What's more… isn't it going to be weird if I'm the only one that shows up in new clothes when we _all_ went shopping?"

"You have no reason to worry about either of those things. We've already got a way to get him there." She motions to a bag hanging on her arm. "-I've also purchased outfits for the rest of us. If anyone asks why you're wearing yours, we'll simply say you got something on your outfit and didn't have a choice."

"...You're really covering all your bases, aren't you…?" I sigh. "I still don't like this plan… lying about why I'm dressed differently isn't exactly making me happy either."

"Oh, it won't be a lie." Kyoko smiles ever so faintly as we enter the shoe department. "Your clothes definitely have something on them."

"Huh? They didn't, though…" I catch sight of Ibuki waving at us, mismatched shoes clutched in both her hands. "What do you mean?"

"You'll see." She answers simply.

Feeling suspicious, I end up asking where my clothes are as soon as we meet up with the rest of them. Sakura looks pensive for a moment before she points to the musician.

"She, ah… put them in her carryout bag from dinner. I tried to stop her, but…"

"Its totally okay, Chihiromon!" Ibuki hands me said bag, smiling brightly. "They're safe in there, honest! Kyokopuffs told Ibuki to put them somewhere she couldn't possibly lose them!"

…Opening the bag, I see Ibuki has carefully placed her particularly greasy meatball sub on top of both my blouse and skirt. I turn to Kyoko in horror.

"I told you that it wasn't a lie." Kyoko brushes past me, face as stoic as ever. "There's no reason for you to feel bad now, correct?"

…All her bases covered indeed. What a scary person.

* * *

"Guys, can we just stop this…!? This whole idea is terrible!"

"Chihiro, we're already on the stairs. I think it's too late to turn back." Peko sighs and shakes her head. "You may as well just accept it at this point."

Sakura starts walking in step with me, putting her hand on my shoulder. "It will be alright, Chihiro. We're not going to be leaving you alone; after all, we essentially forced you into this position. It would be cruel of us to just leave you to your own devices."

"Besides, Chihiromon!" Ibuki slings an arm around my shoulder, making me stumble. "This can only go well! Even if he doesn't get a reality-check, you still got some swanky new duds out of it!"

"I'm starting to hope he doesn't notice this at all..!" I could almost cry at this point. These girls are totally misinterpreting our relationship, and it's making me uncomfortable!

"There's no way he won't!" Hina claps her hands together in her merriment. She's clearly in an excellent mood… "If the dress alone doesn't cut it, there's no way he's going to be able to ignore the other guys showering you with attention! He's gonna be jelly for sure!"

"Other guys?" I stop short in my tracks, my new black pumps hitting the concrete with an audible click. "What did you guys do…?"

"Don't be melodramatic." Kyoko chides. "It's simply a byproduct of our plan to get him to the front of the school. Peko instructed Taka to meet her for a nighttime kendo lesson, and invited him to bring friends along."

"...I understand Taka coming along, but who else is going to be there?" I scrunch up my face in distaste.

"No clue. He just said he had a few people who wanted to come watch." She shrugs, continuing her walk up the stairs. "This doesn't change the plan. The idea is to bring you back to the forefront of Mondo's mind; no more, no less. If anything, the presence of more people will mask our intentions even more."

…Not left with any more options, I'm forced to continue my way forward. The fact that _Kyoko_ of all people is the one leading this petty crusade bugs me to no end; I mean, isn't she usually supposed to be the sensible one? Why on earth would she want to dangle me in front of Mondo like a carrot?

None of this makes any sense!

As we enter the front lobby of the school, I see that a small crowd has already formed there. From my place behind Sakura, I can see each of them clearly: Taka, Leon, Hiro, and… Mondo.

"Ah, hello Peko!" Taka greets. "Eight o'clock sharp; I appreciate you being so prudent in meeting us here!"

The silverette shakes her head. "Think nothing of it. I'm sorry I dragged you out so late."

Leon lets out a whistle. "Wow man, _she's_ the one whose been giving you lessons? I may need to take up kendo!"

"Tactless, so tactless!" Hiro shakes his head with a shrug, smirking over to him. "You have zero finesse, Leon."

"Tch, whatever…" The wannabe rockstar shakes his head. "Still, I can't say I'm not surprised. I didn't think you babes we're going out shopping when you said you had somethin' to do after that."

"It was so much fun!" Hina yells. "We've got our Halloween costumes being made as we speak, _and_ we got some pretty new clothes! Today was awesome for a Monday!"

"Oh, a group costume?" Hiro looks intrigued as gives all of us an appraising glance. "Whaddya going as?"

"It's a surprise." Kyoko smiles faintly. "You'll simply have to wait until the contest to find out."

Ibuki jumps onto Sakura's back, effectively startling both her and I. "It's gonna be _bombastic!_ Just wait until you see Chihiromon in her outfit! Ibuki is drooling at the thought as it is…!"

"Yeah, speaking of…" Mondo, who had been silent up until this point, scans the crowd. "Where'd you guys put Chi? I don't see her with ya."

"She's right here." Sakura moves aside, effectively removing all cover she'd given me previously.

"...!"

…They're all staring at me. Suddenly left exposed… all I can muster is an awkward wave. "H-Hey guys…"

"Woah-!" Both Leon and Hiro step towards me, practically shoving the other girls aside. The former is the first to speak. "Chihiro, babe…! Is that really you?"

"Wha- I-I'm just wearing a new dress…!" I step back a bit and grab a hold of the skirt on said dress. "Of course its me!"

"This is no mere dress!" Hiro circles me a bit. "You usually look like such a bookworm, but this-!" He gestures to me. "This is amazing!"

"Ain't it!?" Ibuki hops down from her Sakura-shaped perch and slings an arm around my waist. "Ibuki picked this dress out herself, you know! It was just screaming to be worn by a cutie like Chihiromon!"

Leon gives her a thumbs up, which is immediately returned by the bubbly rocker. "You oughta dress her more often then! Chihiro is cute as she usually is, but this is a whole new level! I move that we officially ban her from collared shirts!"

"Seconded!" Hiro yells.

"Thirded!" Ibuki cheers.

"S-Stop it already…!" I'm sure that my face is pink by now; there's no way it isn't. "I appreciate the compliments, but this is too much!"

"Not at all!" The redhead moves beside me and puts his arm around my shoulders. "We're not exaggerating in the least; I mean, look at those two losers over there!"

My gaze wanders over to where he's pointing. Both Mondo and Taka look like statues from their places across from us.

"They're totally speechless!" He laughs, but then suddenly leans over and puts his face close to mine. "Which is also a complete waste, you know? They're not even coming over to get a better look at you."

I feel the heat in my face kick up a degree at our proximity. He's looking right at me…

...

…Were his eyes always that blue?

"You-!"

I turn away from Leon to see that Mondo had broken out of his earlier stupor. His arms are clenched at his sides, his face is red…

He looks _livid._

"Get the hell off her, Leon! Don't you see how fucking embarrassed she is!?"

The boy in question scoffs and straightens up, but keeps his arm slung over my shoulder. "A little teasing doesn't hurt every now and then! Besides, I'm not lying; she's totally adorable. Don't get mad at me just because you can't think fast enough to pay her a proper compliment!"

"It ain't even about that!" He yells, pointing towards him. "Why the fuck do you have your arm around her, huh!? You don't need to be so damn close for a shitty compliment!"

"Who _wouldn't_ wanna be close to a cute girl?" Leon reasons. "I'm not like you two idiots who crap their pants around the fairer sex; I know exactly how to talk to a cutie like Chihiro!"

"I'm gonna beat the hell outta you, shitbag…!" Mondo takes a menacing step forward, causing Leon to jump. He clearly knows he's playing with fire right now… but he doesn't back down.

"Just because you're some braindead moron who can't act right in front of a lady?" Leon pulls me closer to him. "What's the harm in flirting a little? It's not like you own her, stupid."

Ibuki "ooohs" a little from where she's attached to my waist, wiggling her eyebrows at me when I look down at her.

This stops Mondo cold. "I-I never said I fucking _owned_ her, I just-!"

"Then you can't say anything, can ya?" Leon unceremoniously releases me and shrugs, walking towards Taka. "Anyways, we're totally holding up Taka's lesson. Shouldn't we be going now?"

Said moral compass jumps and snaps out of his reverie upon the baseball star's approach. It seems like he was staring at us the whole time. "Uh, right…! Shall we?"

Taka is the first to turn and leave, cheeks tinted the faintest shade of pink as he makes his escape. Leon follows after, but not before turning back to me with a wink.

"Catch ya later, Chihiro!"

"Bastard!" Mondo yells after him. "We ain't done here-!"

…I see Mondo is absolutely fuming at this point, so I detach Ibuki from my side and walk up to him. I need to diffuse the situation. "Hey, calm down a little… He wasn't bothering me, honest! D-Don't be so mad…"

"I'm not-!" He jerkily turns his head towards me, but looks away as soon as we make eye contact. "-Uh. Listen, I gotta go. See ya later, Chi!"

"Wait, Mond-!" Then, as quickly as this whole ordeal started, it ends. He's out of sight within moments after his yelled goodbye.

"Awh, what?" Hina boo's from her place next to Sakura. "He barely even looked at her! That was totally lame!"

"Whew, that was _painful!_ " Hiro, who I'd almost forgotten was here, just shakes his head. "To be young again… I remember my first steps onto the treacherous path of romance!"

"You're not even old!" Hina gives Hiro an unimpressed look. "Aren't you supposed to be going with them, anyways?"

"I mean, yeah." The fortune teller shrugs. "Is it so important, though? I'm more interested in seeing the outfits the rest of you ladies picked out!"

"We're not gonna be wearing them yet, stupid!" She huffs. "The only reason Chihiro is wearing it is because Ibuki spilled food on her other clothes!"

"Wha-? Awh, that's total crap! I wanted to see what you picked out..!" He grunts a little in dissatisfaction and starts off in the direction the other guys left in, arms crossed lazily behind his head.

"Idiot!" Hina yells after him, blushing a bit. "God, why can't he read the mood at all…!?"

Peko sighs and turns to us. "Well… I have a lesson to go teach. I'll see you girls later, alright?"

"Would you mind me accompanying you?" Sakura steps forward just as she's about to leave. "I'm always interested in different fighting styles, even if they're not strictly martial arts."

"I don't see an issue with it." She motions for Sakura to follow her. "Let's go. I don't like the idea of leaving them unattended for an extended period of time near my equipment."

"Oh, bye guys!" I call after them, receiving waves in return. I exhale slightly. "Well… it could have been worse, I guess… Did you tell Leon to act like that, Kyoko?"

The detective shakes her head. "No, actually… I was just as surprised as the rest of you. I hadn't anticipated him flirting so… blatantly." She pinches the bridge of her nose. "Even though it's not exactly what I was going for, Mondo _did_ seem to be fully aware of Chihiro…"

"Aware? Biker Boy totally ran away from Chihiromon!" Ibuki looks a little upset as she crosses her arms. "I mean, he didn't even complement her at all! What gives?"

"I think he was too flustered to do that…" Hina puts a finger to her chin. "He couldn't even get out an actual sentence! Then he got mad at Leon, who _could_ talk to her… so!" She smacks her fist into her hand. "He was definitely a PB &J without the peanut butter!"

"Mondo is just really protective of me is all!" I hug my arms to myself. "I told you guys trying to make him jealous was a bad idea… I hope he and Leon will be alright."

"..." Kyoko stares at me for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. "…He'll be fine. Those two pick at each other all the time. If you'll excuse me though, I really need to be going; I think I have what I need now to go talk to my father…"

I almost want to question what she means exactly, but she strides away in a flash, leaving no room for questions.

"Jeez, that Kyoko… always trying to be mysterious!" The swimmer puts her hands to her hips, smirking a little. "She just wants an excuse to connect with her dad! She totally can't be any more obvious!"

…I shoot Hina a dubious look.

"That's not it at all…!"

* * *

After parting ways with the remaining two girls, I decide to stop by the dining area for a drink. It's almost completely empty...

Save for two __very__ loud people.

"Enough of this, please!" Souda wails. "I don't want to go talk to him, I don't…!"

"He will not come out regardless of what Hajime and I do!" Sonia yells back. "Man up and help us!"

The exchange is enough to make me forget my desire for a can of Sprite. Just what are they talking about? As I approach them, Souda immediately perks up.

"Chihiroooo-!" He all but pounces on me as I approach. "You gotta do it instead! I can't talk to that guy…!"

"Wha- talk to who?" I ask. Sonia sighs a little.

"Gundham refuses to exit his room, I'm afraid… he didn't attend any classes, and he hasn't come out to eat!"

What?

"W-What happened?" I feel an awful put form in the bottom of my stomach when I remember what happened this morning. "Oh no, was it… was it about what happened this morning in the dining hall?"

Sonia tuts. "…So it _was_ that. I had a feeling it was related given the video I saw, but he hasn't spoken to any of us. I was asking Souda for help as a last resort."

"Ordinarily I'd do _anything_ for Ms. Sonia-" The mechanic turns away and thumbs at his beanie slightly. "But me n' him get along like oil and water! I can't stand talking to him!"

"I'd actually wanted to come and talk to you first, Chihiro, but…" She stops when she actually looks at me, perking up quite a bit. "Oh, what a lovely dress! Where did you get it? Is that why you were gone all day!?"

"O-Oh, uh…" I blush and look away from her. "Yes, actually. I was out shopping with Ibuki, Peko, and some of the girls from my class… Ibuki picked this out for me."

"It's so darling on you!" She grabs my hands in her own. "You really must wear more clothing like this in the future, it- Oh!" Sonia pulls me towards her, bending over so that we're eye-level with each other. "This is splendid! Chihiro, accompany me to Gundham's room at once! There's no way he'd ignore you in such a state!"

"I don't really think-"

"Thank you so much, Chihiro!" Souda is practically glowing at the idea of being relieved of his duties. "But… oh, Miss Sonia, could you please just give us a minute alone? I'll take Chihiro up once I'm done talking with her!"

"So suddenly…" The princess sighs. "Is it truly important? Can it not wait?"

"S-So sorry, but no! It's incredibly important!" He puts his hands together and bows to her. "Please, it really won't take that long! Two minutes, tops!"

"...I suppose it's alright." She relents, turning away from us. "But please, be swift! He's been in there for so long already!"

Once she's out the door, he exhales. "Phew… I'm so glad she said yes. This is so _beyond_ important!"

"What's wrong?" I ask. "I'll do my best to help if I can…"

"Oh, don't look so gloomy!" Souda claps me on the back. "It's a good thing; no, a _grand_ thing! Remember when I asked if you'd be willing to help me with a project at the beginning of the year?"

I close my eyes for a moment and nod, vaguely remembering such a thing. "Yeah, but what does that-?"

"This!" Souda shoves a packet in front of me. "I've finally completed the blueprints! I have no doubt that it'll be my greatest creation yet!"

"A machine…?" Noting that the packet isn't titled, I quickly flip it open. "This is…!"

...Sometimes I forget that Souda actually has a brain for anything other than Sonia! The notes, the schematics… everything here is so incredibly detailed, so fine-tuned…!

"I was holding off on showing you until I had all of the design kinks worked out…" He says sheepishly, shuffling his feet a little. "I mean, if I can't even get something like this perfect on my end, what right do I have to ask you for help?"

"This is for a robot…!" I quickly turn the page, scanning over everything as if my life depended on it. "It looks like its just the skeleton... Clearly not for a humanoid one, but even so- Everything here is so… fluid! How long have you been working on this!?"

Souda blushes a little. "A long time, actually… at first it was supposed to just be an animatronic that wasn't so damn creepy; like something you'd find in Chuck E. Cheese, but not so twitchy and soulless. I was just trying to make it's motions more… realistic. Eventually though, I kinda got ambitious, and started gearing the plans towards something that could move around freely."

"I can see that!" I'm in total awe of the plans laid out in front of me. "What was the issue though?"

"I mean…" He sighs. "I have a _tiny_ bit of programming knowledge, but not enough for something that could fully make use of this body I've got planned out. It'd take something real sophisticated to get everything moving as I've planned! I was super close to scrapping this project until you showed up!"

"So… you want me to design a program to run this?" I hum a little. "It shouldn't be too hard. What did you have in mind?"

"Nothing insane!" Souda quickly shakes his head. "I mean, all I really need is something that'll make the commands I input into the controller super sensitive… the parts are there, but I can't seem to get the signal to convey every little thing to the actual unit!"

"I see!" Feeling a rare bit of confidence flare up inside me, I smile over to the mechanic. "Well… I can probably do you one better. How about a program that thinks and can act independently without a controller?"

"Without…!?" His eyes light up. "Then, is what Chiaki said really true!? That you really have an AI in your room!?"

"She… mentioned him?"

"Only a little!" He crosses his arms and winks at me. "She was kinda bragging about what a cool cousin you were. Chiaki has a lot of pride in you, apparently!"

I laugh a little, tension coming and going in an instant. "Gotcha… Well, she wasn't lying. I could probably develop one for that shell specifically, if I have enough time… when do you want this done?"

"We gotta get it done by Festival Week, absolutely!" Souda gives me a thumbs up. "Since the school is open to everyone, the head honchos like us to do something to show off our Ultimate talents! You n' me would take the whole thing by storm!" His eyes flick to the clock and then back to me. "Well, we can talk shop some more later! Let's get you up to Miss Sonia!"

"Right!" I turn towards the door, walking in step with Souda. I smile up at him. "I'm looking forward to working with you, Souda!"

"Ehehe… Thanks!" He scratches the back of his head a little. "Right back at ya!"

* * *

We quickly ascend the stairs to the second level of the dorm area. I've never actually been up here, so it's interesting to see where all the upperclassmen live! As soon as we catch sight of Sonia, Souda tells me that he's going back to his room.

"Now that I have ya on board, I gotta get started on what this thing is gonna look like when it's done!" He turns away and speeds off in the other direction. "I'll text you some rough sketches once I have them! See ya later, Chihiro!"

...His door slams shut before I can even say goodbye. Nothing can be said against Souda's passion as a mechanic, that's for sure. I turn down the hall and approach the princess.

"...That's strange!" Sonia starts talking as soon as I'm close enough. "I'm surprised Souda didn't come over to say hello to me again… What's he up to?"

"Oh, we're going to be working on something together for Festival Week!" I smile up at her. "He's really excited for it, so I think he's going to continue working on it now."

"I… I see!" She looks a little perplexed at this. "Well, I'm glad he has something else to direct his attention at! Shall we?"

Not wasting anymore time, Sonia hits the buzzer to Gundham's room. After a moment of silence, she holds down the button again and speaks into the microphone.

"Gundham, it's Sonia! I've brought Chihiro with me this time, and I demand you come out and talk to us at once!" She's fully switched into princess mode at this point. Her voice leaves no room for debate. "If you do not… I promise you that I shall not be pleasant!"

After a few beats of silence, the door opens up a crack. I can't see his face from where I'm standing at all. "Begone, the both of you! I have no desire to come out and speak to any of you mortals!"

"You've made that perfectly clear at this point!" She puts her hands on her hips. "I do not appreciate being ignored, and neither does Hajime! I was lucky enough to catch Chihiro on her way back from a shopping trip; if you're not willing to speak to either Hajime or I, then you _will_ be speaking to her!"

"So you think!" Sonia shoves her hand out when Gundham tries to shut the door. "Stop your approach, she-cat! I'll curse you to the pits of hell if you don't retreat now!"

"Then so it shall be! Chihiro, come over here!" As Sonia puts all her weight on the door to keep it open, I move over towards her. "Stand in front of me! I'll get you into that room with my dying breath if necessary!"

"H-Hold on a second, there's no need for that!" Deciding to skip the melodramatics, I step in front of Sonia and peer into the room to try and get a glimpse of the breeder. "…Gundham, could you please tell me what's wrong? Sonia and the others are really worried about you…"

"I have nothing to say to anyone!" The force he's applying to the door increases suddenly. "…Why do you people insist on meddling with my affairs!? The Supreme Overlord of Ice has no reason to report to anyone!"

Sonia suddenly loses ground, door closing the slightest bit more. I start pushing against it myself to try and maintain the sliver we have. Since when was Gundham this strong?!

"P-Please, I just want to help!" I grind out, pushing with all my might against the door. I take a wide stance and lock my legs when he manages to gain even more ground against us. "What happened this morning is really bugging you, right!? You disappeared before we could even talk to you about it…!"

"As if such a thing would even be able to bother me…!" He retorts.

"You child-!" Sonia, clearly fed up with this, shoves the door with all her might. The tiny gap widens considerably, and then, without any warning…

"I apologize for this, Chihiro!"

Her knee hits me right between my legs.

"Hie-!?" I'm effectively shoved into Gundham's room just as he manages to recover and slam the door shut. I'm left face-down on the floor in agony, not being able to move after the devastating blow that was dealt to my lower half.

...

…I think-

I think Sonia just made me into a _real_ girl…!

"...!" I hear Gundham open the door. "Hellcat, you- that woman…! She's absconded!"

The door closes with a thud. I barely register Gundham kneeling next to me. "Mortal, are you… alright?"

"F-Fine…!" I try to sit up, but the pain keeps me pinned. "Just peachy, r-really-!"

"She-cat does not know her own strength, it seems…" He sighs a little. "To think she'd stoop to such a level to get you in here… she must have truly been desperate."

"It's… It's not that big of a deal! I-It's just because of how I was standing, y-ya know? Even I can handle this much…!" Trying to prove my point, I force myself to stand. "S-See? It's all good...!"

Gundham simply shakes his head and puts his hand on my shoulder, gently pushing me towards the bed. "Sit. You're already here, so I may as well be a proper host."

Not willing to argue, I end up flopping over on his bed instead of sitting on it. I'd never been hit there so hard… the pain is only just now starting to dull, and even then it's only _barely!_

…I think I may need to start wearing a cup around Sonia from now on…

"It's odd…" Gundham muses, standing beside the bed. "I never would have imagined that taking a hit there as a woman would be so… devastating. Low-blows are truly a recipe for calamity…"

"...You're telling me!" I look up at him, hoping to change this already uncomfortable subject. His usual scarf and jacket are missing. "It's strange seeing you without your usual getup… I'd started thinking that you never took that scarf off."

"...Why would I wear such garments in solitude? I wear them only to protect the mortals around me from being culled..." He glances down to me, but quickly looks away. "What about you? You're hardly dressed in _your_ usual attire!"

"Ah, this?" I laugh a little, straightening out the skirt. "Ibuki picked it out for me earlier… its a bit of a long story."

"...I see." Gundham keeps his gaze steady on the wall.

"S-So, uh…" Seeing the usually monologue-prone breeder so quiet is unsettling, to say the least. "Where are the Devas? Are they in their cage?"

He nods. "Indeed, they've just settled in for the evening…"

I push myself up to a sitting position. "…Enough beating around the bush. Are you… alright?" He finally looks towards me, but doesn't say anything. "What happened with Junko this morning must have been hard for you, right? I couldn't imagine having that happen so suddenly…"

"...Certainly being thrust into the center of such a strange event was irritating, but… that's not what has me perplexed." Gundham ends up hesitating for a moment before moving to sit next to me on his bed. "Mortal… are you and her not enemies?"

"...What makes you say that?" I ask, glancing away for a moment.

"During our trip… was it not her fault that your dress was torn asunder?" When I nod, he simply shakes his head. "Indeed, I had my suspicions about this event, but no longer. It truly seems like her goal was to get under your skin by approaching me… I've been consulting my closest disciples throughout the day in order to find a solution to this problem."

"Really? ...Is that why you didn't go to class?" I'm shocked. He doesn't seem to be lying and yet... I thought for sure he'd be uncomfortable with everything that happened! "More importantly, you were consulting people on how to deal with her?"

"Indeed!" Gundham crosses his arms. "I may be well-versed in handling most demon spawn, but this wretch goes beyond the beasts that I'm used to taming! I must find a way to banish her from your presence; anything less will not do."

"Ba-Banish?" What on earth is he talking about? Getting rid of Junko? "She's just a bully! I've been handling her since school started… there's no need for you to become involved, honest!"

"So you say, and yet-" He gestures towards me. "It appears to me as though you're no match for her. If this has indeed been going on since the beginning of your time here… then you are essentially forcing me to act. The Devas do not take lightly to their servants being dishonored in such a way!"

"Awh, Gundham…!" I sigh. "Look… I'll explain this to you real quick, but please don't tell anyone else! Here's the reason I can't actually do anything about Junko…"

Begrudgingly, I explain to him everything that's happened with Junko thus far: our first encounter, how Mondo and Kyoko are involved, and how the headmaster couldn't do anything against her. He listens to me intently, remaining completely silent the entire time.

"...So you get it, right?" I finish. "What happened this morning was her latest attempt to make me upset. I think it has to do with her approaching me last week when I'd skipped classes."

"Oh?" He raises a thin eyebrow at me. "What did she attempt to do then?"

I feel my face heat up the slightest bit. "Well, she… she sort of insinuated things about you and I before leaving in a hurry. I think she was trying to imply that we were an item, or a potential one at least…"

"...! I see… So she assumed such a thing of us, and as such decided to try and claim me as a sort of trophy!" Gundham turns his head away from me, but I can see that the tips of his ears have turned red. "How absurd! That woman… she will know no mercy from me! The fact that she'd dare suggest that I, Supreme Overlord of Ice, would be so inclined towards a mere mortal…!"

I sigh, pulling my knees to my chest. "Jeez, I get you're bothered by the idea, but you don't gotta be so harsh about it…"

"That's not-!" He coughs into his non-bandaged hand. "That isn't to say that you're unappealing! Anyone who would suggest as much has never known the gift of sight!"

"U-Uhm… thanks?" I answer. Even though the compliment was a little backhanded, it still makes me sorta happy. "A-Anyway, that isn't the point. Do you understand why I wouldn't want you to get involved any further? It's better for you to just avoid her…"

"...So you say, but it seems as though you're stuck in a stalemate with her..." Gundham turns back to me, face still flushed. "But… I shall heed your request for now. Be warned, however; the _moment_ the Devas catch wind of another foul deed done by the hands of that harlot, I will not be able to further ignore her actions! Do you understand?"

"I-I do…" I glance up to the clock, noting that it's nine. "…S-Sorry for bothering you with all of this, Gundham. I'd like to hang out for a little while longer, but I really need to go pay attention to Frederick-"

"If that is your wish, then so be it." He answers quickly. "Go. Fetch your hellhound and bring him to me."

I blink at him. "Eh? Aren't you tired?"

"Oh fie, do not make me repeat myself!" Gundham crosses his arms. "Someone of my caliber does not tire easily... now go! I must commune with the beast to see how well you're serving him..."

Not knowing how else to answer, I just nod at him. "A-Alright…?"

"Be swift!" He glances away from me. "My time is precious; the sooner you return, the better off you'll be!"

Gingerly standing, I gratefully realize that the majority of the pain has vanished. I exit Gundham's room and start off towards my own, wondering how exactly it came to this. It almost felt like he demanded that I stayed longer...

...I don't think I'll ever fully understand how his brain works.


	19. Chapter 18: Pictures (1)

Chapter 18: Pictures (1)

 

The sound of an unfamiliar alarm jars me out of my sleep. I crack an eye open to try and see where I am, but the sight I’m met with is… a neck.

A neck belonging to none other than Gundham Tanaka.

I lift my head a bit, causing our pillow- Frederick- to shift ever so slightly.  Without bothering to turn around, I reach behind me and feel around on the nightstand for the clock, smacking the snooze button as soon as I find it.

“...” I absentmindedly stare at Gundham’s shirt as I try to remember what it is I’m doing here. After a few moments, I come to the conclusion we must have dozed off at some point while hanging out last night. A slight movement around my waist makes me aware that Gundham currently has an arm draped around me in a half-hug.

 _“...This proximity is a bit…”_ I end up having to stifle a laugh at the thought of Gundham being the first to wake up. He would probably be panicking!

…

Though that isn’t to say that I’m not the tiniest bit flustered. I can’t remember ever waking up next to anyone other than my dad, Chiaki, or Frederick. Gundham is a lot bigger than all of them, and even though we’re not super close together, I can feel his body heat pretty clearly…

I move to stand, but I end up stopping myself short when Gundham shifts slightly downward, putting me eye-level with his chin. A thought crosses my mind.

“Just… a peek.”

I move upward the slightest bit in order to get a look at his face. The sight that greets me is nothing short of… peaceful. Apparently the alarm earlier hadn’t disturbed him at all; his face is totally relaxed, all signs of his usual Dark Lord persona completely gone. His hair is undone, he isn’t wearing his earrings… he even has the tiniest bit of drool coming out of the corner of his mouth.

I can’t help the smile that breaks out on my face. _“Gundham is always so guarded… seeing him actually at rest like this is a nice change!”_

I flinch a little as he shifts again, afraid I’d been caught staring. Thankfully… it doesn’t seem like he’s close to waking up on his own any time soon.

“...”

…I flinch a little as another, far more mischievous thought crosses my mind. Not allowing any time for doubt, I start feeling around for my phone, finding it pressed underneath my leg. I flick the screen on… and quickly snap a picture of Gundham’s sleeping face.

Not even bothering to look at my prize, I sit up and gently peel Gundham’s arm off my side. I reach over and start shaking his shoulder.

“Hey, Gundham…?” I whisper. “It’s morning…”

He something incoherent in his usual baritone voice, but doesn’t stir. I shake him a little harder. “Gundham, come on, we have school in…” I flick my eyes over to the clock, feeling of dread forming in my stomach at the time. “-fifteen minutes!?”

I give Gundham a harder shake this time, effectively rousing him. “…Tch, you two could be gentler when coming to wake me-” He cuts himself off once he musters the ability to open his eyes. The breeder flies to a stand on the other side of the bed. “You!? Why are you still-!?”

“Calm down a little! We fell asleep when we were hanging out last night!” I turn around and straighten out my now semi-wrinkled dress. “Oh man, why did you have your alarm set for so late…?”

“M-My morning preparations do not usually take long…” Though he’s not outright flipping out like he was a second ago, it’s obvious that he’s flustered. “As the Dark Lord, dawn is my mortal enemy, so-!”

Ignoring him, I slip on my heels and make a b-line for the door. “I’ll see you later, Gundham! I need to hurry up and get Frederick back to my room!”

“Mortal!”

I quickly turn back to face him. He runs a hand through his hair, not meeting my gaze. “I… I command that you have a pleasant day!”

“...Pfft.” I smile at him and open the door. “You better have one too, Gundham!”

With one final wave, I exit his room. I continue to straighten out my dress as I walk down the hall. It’s pretty obvious that I’m not going to have time to change, so I’ll just have to freshen up as best I can before I head to class-

“Chihiro!”

I jump a little at the voice I know all too well. I turn back to see Sonia and Souda running after me down the hall. Souda still looks half-asleep, but Sonia is as prim as ever.

“What are you doing here so early?” She asks, reaching over to scratch Frederick’s head. “And you’re still wearing that darling outfit!”

I thumb the hem of my dress with the hand that isn’t holding my phone, instinctively pressing my legs closer together at the memory of the critical hit she dealt me yesterday. “W-Well… Gundham and I sort of dozed off while we were hanging out last night.”

“Oh, so you’ve already gotten him up?” The princess puts a hand to her chest and lets out a sigh of relief. “Well, that’s one less thing for me to worry about today! Their sleeping habits are so dubious that I’ve assumed the duty of checking up on them!”

“They ain’t dubious…” Souda yawns as he speaks, totally taking any credibility his argument had away.

Sonia shoots him a pointed look. “While Souda himself may deny it, he often doesn’t sleep until the wee hours of the morning. Gundham, on the other hand, usually wakes up incredibly early to tend to the animals behind the school.” She scratches her cheek a little. “Certain days however, he’ll decide to go right back to sleep after his duties are finished. Though it does not happen often, whenever he feels this way, he sends me a message and asks that I ensure he’s up for class.”

I feel a strange knot form in the pit of my stomach. If Gundham always wakes up early to do that, then… surely he must have…?

I quickly shake that thought off, not wanting to think any more about the implications of Sonia’s revelation. “W-Well, I hate to cut this conversation off so quickly, but I really need to go! I can’t exactly go to class looking like this, you know?” I sigh and rake a hand through my hair, which is thankfully not greasy.  “I really should have set an alarm on my phone…”

I see a spark in the princess’ eye as she snatches up my wrist. “Fear not, dear Chihiro! As I’m partially to blame for your current disheveled state, I’ll fix you up in record time! Come!”

“Eh!?”

Before I can protest, Sonia drags me back down the hall to her room.  She opens the door and urges me in, turning back for only a split second. “Souda, grab Gundham and get to class! I’ll meet you there in ten minutes!”

The door closes behind her with a resounding thud. She scurries past Frederick and I and stops in front of a posh looking vanity. “Come come, Chihiro! We haven’t any time to waste!”

I hurriedly comply, not wanting to test the princess’ patience. “Y-You really don’t have to do all this! I was just going to run back downstairs to brush my hair and put on some deodorant…”

“Nonsense! It doesn’t hurt to get dolled up every once in a while, especially when in such a lovely dress! Oh, speaking of-” She pulls open one of the drawers and hands me a small spray can. “We’ll be using that to pull out the wrinkles that formed from you sleeping in it! Go ahead and work on the front side while I brush your hair!”

“Right…” Letting out a sigh, I set to work on my assigned task. This spray… actually works really well. “Wow, where did you get this? I may need to buy some for myself!”

“Isn’t it superb? I wouldn’t be able to go on without it!” Sonia looks like she’s having fun as she gently brushes out my hair. “I will have to send you the link for it later over text! Now then, in terms of makeup…”

“Makeup?” I grimace. “D-Do we really have to do all that?”

“Oh, it won’t be much! Your skin is so lovely on its own, and eyeliner would just mar your delicate features… Just a touch of mascara and some gloss!” Her nostrils flair as she pulls out two tubes from her drawer. “Indeed, this will be perfect! Turn and face me, Chihiro! Try to keep your eyes open if you can!”

I comply once more, not being able to offer a proper excuse as to why I shouldn’t wear makeup. The brush touching my eyelashes is a foreign sensation… its kind of hard not to twitch on every swoop she makes.

“And… done!” Sonia takes a step back and admires her handiwork. “Perfect! Now, apply the gloss while I look for something; I think it’s just what we need to finish this!”

I turn to look at myself in the mirror. “I… don’t see much of a difference?” My eyelashes are darker than usual sure, but I really can’t see the point of it.

“The point of makeup is not to cover; it’s to _accentuate _.__ It makes your gorgeous eyes stand out even more than usual!” Sonia answers from behind me. “Have you applied the gloss yet?”

I blush. The tube she handed me is by no means sealed, which means… she’s _used_  it before.

“N-No, I haven’t, but-!”

“Get on with it then!” She tuts. “We don’t have much time  left before the bell chimes!”

Gulping, I unscrew the tube and pull the brush free. “Light pink, huh…?”

…There’s no way I’d be able to get by Sonia without putting it on. I have to do it.

Steeling myself, I put the brush to my lips, doing my best to not think about how this is like an indirect kiss.

Absolutely not similar in any way.

No sir.

…

I end up blushing a little harder at that thought, but I do my best to will it away. Instead, I focus on getting the gloss on as fast as possible. As soon as I think I have enough of it on, I screw the tube shut again and drop it, almost as if it were on fire.

“Alright, let’s see-” Sonia ends up stifling a laugh as she turns and looks at me. “Chihiro, have you ever worn lip gloss before?”

I shake my head. “Just lip balm…”

“Well, the concept is still the same!” The princess yanks a tissue from the box on her vanity and gently dabs around my mouth. With a giggle, she shows me the now gloss-filled tissue. “You’re supposed to get it _on_ your lips, not around them!”

Oh great. I must have looked like a mess. “I’m aware, I just… I was just in a hurry!” Not a complete untruth. “Time _is_  winding down, so…”

She nods, easily accepting my answer. Sonia sweeps behind me, grabbing the small can of anti-wrinkle spray from where I left it on a table. With a few sprays and some swift tugs, I hear the princess let out a huff of satisfaction.

“Okay! Now, lastly…” She circles back to my front, and before I can question what she’s doing, she plops something on my head. “There! A headband to complete the look!”

I turn to face myself in the mirror. Sonia had slipped a plain black headband on top of my head, and is currently finger-brushing my hair free of it.

“I must say, you should invest in more headwear Chihiro! Your fluffy hair is just begging for accessories!”

“You think…?” Looking at myself… I really don’t see that much of a change from usual. “I-I suppose I’ll just have to take your word for it.”

“As you should!” Sonia slaps a hand to her chest. “We must chronicle this day as a turning point for your life!”

“R-Right…” I smile over to Frederick, who is patiently waiting by the door. “What do you think, boy?”

He barks in response, causing both Sonia and I to laugh.

“Well, let us deposit your knight at your room before we continue onward! You’ll still need to grab a few things for school, I assume?”

She grabs her own bag as she says this, turning towards the door with a flourish. I move to follow her out, but I end up walking into her back when she stops short.

“Oh, yes!” Without giving me much time to react, she pulls out her phone and positions her camera in front of both of us. “Say cheese, Chihiro!”

…I crack a nervous smile just as the impromptu picture is taken. Sonia looks pleased with the results.

“Lovely, just lovely! I’ll absolutely be sending this one to my parents later, and you as well!” She opens her door and motions for me to follow her. “Let us be off! I apologize for the minor delay, but I simply couldn’t allow myself __not__  to take a self-photograph with you!”

Smiling, I wait for Sonia to finish locking her door before we set off together. “W-Well, as long as you’re happy… oh!” I unlock my phone as we walk down the hall and rush down the stairs. Pulling up my gallery, I get my first glimpse of the picture I’d taken of Gundham earlier. It turned out… really well. “Look at this, Sonia!”

We stop at the bottom of the stairs long enough for her to get a look at the photo I’d taken. The light from the morning sun was just enough to illuminate the room; his sleeping face comes across clear as day. She squeals.

“Chihiro, you were that close to him!?” Her eyes light up instantly. “Oh my, oh __my__ …! I’m so happy!”

“He actually had his arm draped around me, too.” I laugh a bit. “I never took Gundham as the cuddly type, but he really can’t hide it when he’s asleep!”

“I know!” Sonia lets out a happy sigh as we head over to my room. “I’ve been fortunate enough to experience it as well; that boy would never admit to it though!”

I hum a little in response. Her words remind me of how strange she was acting on the beach trip the morning after Gundham had called me by my name. The fact that she didn’t point out his morning routine also makes me curious…

“Hey, Sonia-” I glance over to her as I unlock the door, and she smiles at me expectantly.

…Wouldn’t it be awkward just to ask her about their relationship out of the blue like this? I really feel like they dated at some point, but I don’t want to assume anything weird. Not to mention…  I would probably spoil her mood by bringing it up.

“-You don’t need to wait for me or anything!” Deciding against it, I quickly jump to another topic. Frederick barrels into the room as I open the door. “I’m not going to be late or anything, honest!”

“Oh, I didn’t think you would be!” Sonia waves me off. “I simply enjoy spending time with you like this! We’re not in danger of being late, so long as you hurry and grab your things!”

I smile at her. “Right!” Walking into the room, I swipe my bag off the floor next to my bed and turn on my heel back towards the hall, only to turn right back around and make a b-line for the bathroom to slap on some deodorant. After putting it on in record time, I sweep out of the bedroom. “Bye, Frederick!”

I shut and lock the door in one fluid motion, quickly falling in step with Sonia as we exit the dorm area. The halls are alive with activity as everyone, Ultimate and Reserve Course student alike, rush towards their morning classes.

“Ah, today is going to be a great day!” Sonia cheers, stretching her arms high above her head. “I feel it in the very marrow of my bones! There shall be no debate on the subject!”

I laugh. Sonia’s eyes always sparkle whenever she gets this excited… it always seems to make her prettier, somehow. “I’m glad you’re confident about it, but I’m not so sure! Going to class without breakfast is a gamble!”

“Aha, our class is very fortunate though-” She winks over to me.  “We have Teruteru on our side, after all! He brings breakfast for everyone out of habit!”

…I’d say “lucky,” but I know that the food comes with a price.

I shrug, hoping my discomfort doesn’t show on my face. “W-Well, our teacher always has snacks stocked. I may just ask him to give me a box since I didn’t have time to eat this morning.”

“Probably a wise course of action.” She nods to herself. “Would he even give you one, though? That does not seem like something a teacher would normally do.”

“Oh, he’s done it a lot before.” I blush a little. “I’m not the best when it comes to mornings, so breakfast isn’t always an option…“

“Does he do it for everyone?”

I tap my chin in thought for a moment before I shake my head. “No. He’s actually gotten mad at people asking for them before.” I glance down the hall to where the classroom is. “I think he just has a soft spot for me, if I’m being honest… He told me once that I reminded him of his daughter.”

“There are far worse things to resemble!” Sonia laughs. “It’s good that you get along so well- our homeroom teacher is so impersonal! He’s always talking to someone on the phone…  such terrible conduct for someone who is supposed to be educating us!”

I grimace. While he may be nice enough, Shirabe isn’t exactly a stellar teacher either…

I let out a small sigh as we stop in front of my class. “A-Anyway, thanks a ton for the help this morning, Sonia. I don’t think I would have made it without you!”

The princess pulls me in for a quick hug before stepping back and double-checking my appearance. “The pleasure was all mine! You really must let me style you again; there are so many things I want to try out on you now!” She grips my shoulders and spins me around, gently pushing me into the classroom. “Knock them dead, Chihiro! I shall see you later!”

I look back at her in confusion for a split second before I finally turn my head and see I’ve caught the stares of the few people who are in the room already- that being Hina, Sakura, Byakuya, Toko, Celes, and Hifumi.

“Oh, my, __gosh.__ ” Hina practically flies out of her seat to the front of the room where I’m standing. “You are _not_ wearing what I think you’re wearing! Really? Seriously!?”

“I couldn’t help it!” I quickly defend. I can already feel my face heating up. “I… I ended up falling asleep in this and woke up late! Y-You know I wouldn’t have worn this if I didn’t have to…!”

“Not _that_ , dummy!” She smooshes my face in her hands and brings it dangerously close to her own. Her breath smells like sugar as she practically yells in my face. “You’re wearing _mascara_ , you vixen! You never wear makeup!”

“That wasn’t my choice either!” I squeal, pulling away from her. I quickly move towards my desk and put my bag down. “S-Sonia happened to catch me this morning looking like crap, so she helped me out! I don’t even own any makeup!”

“That would explain why she looked like Christmas came early for her when she shoved you in here.” Celes remarks, eyeing me thoughtfully. “I must say though… I never would have pictured you in such a state. I suppose what they say is true; the clothes do make the man.”

“Indeed!” Hifumi scratches his chin. “You’ve evolved from a shy bookworm to… well, something else! Talk about character development!”

“Don’t get used to it…” I grumble, plopping down in my chair. “If I had a say in it, I never would have worn this dress again after last night…”

“W-Why the heck would you even buy something like that?” Toko glares at me from her seat in the back of the room. “T-Trying to make me the only awkward loser left, right? Single me out even more?”

I gear up to deny her accusations with everything I’ve got, but Byakuya cuts her off with a scoff. “Don’t flatter yourself. While Chihiro may be a mere mouse, she was already on a completely different level from _you _.__ A widening of that particular gap is inconsequential.”

“M-Master, don’t say that!” Toko looks panicked. “S-Surely I can’t be lower than a _rodent_ , I-”

“Besides,” Celes chimes, overly-sweet smile firmly in place as she cuts the writer off. “You’re clearly forgetting about Hifumi, dear. I’d say you two fit quite snugly together in that category.”

“Miss Ludenberg, you shouldn’t be so harsh!” Hifumi sighs and shakes his head at the girl. “While I may be classified as a loser to some, I am by no means awkward! Just like you, I stand proudly by my hobbies!”

Celes rolls her eyes and stands from her seat. “So troublesome. How many times have I told you…?” She leans down, face mere inches from his own. “Our interests are __nothing__  alike! You have quite some nerve to compare the delicate intricacies of _my_  European dream to your _disgusting_  fantasies!”

Hifumi, completely used to her mood swings by now, simply side-eyes her. “Miss Ludenberg, you really must calm down. Such behavior is unbecoming, isn’t it?”

…Looking at the scene in front of me, it’s a wonder how they ended up this way. Hifumi used to cower in fear whenever Celes had an outburst at the beginning of the year, but now he either gives her sass or tries to genuinely calm her down. I really can’t tell what their relationship is like, but all I know is that they seem to have a better dynamic than Toko and Byakuya.

…Not that _that’s_  hard to beat or anything.

I see the tic form on her forehead from across the classroom. She knows he’s right, so she does the only thing she can- Turn around quickly, hitting Hifumi in the face with one of her drills on “accident,” and promptly return to her seat.

“Yes, well.” Celes clears her throat, crossing her legs primly. “Going back to the original topic, Chihiro does seem to clean up well. You should consider expanding your wardrobe with similar articles.”

Hina walks over and plops her butt down on my desk, leaning down so that she’s ear-level. “You know, you don’t really need to make excuses like that! I think it’s great you want to continue the plan!”

“Are you kidding me!?” I yell-whisper back. “You really think I’d do that on _purpose?_ After what happened last night? _ _”__

Hina straightens herself out and puffs out her cheeks. “Well, no, but… you do gotta admit that it’s gonna be interesting when the boys show up today! Even though it totally wasn’t on purpose. At all.”

I rest my forehead on my hands at her antics. “Hina, I’m being one-hundred percent serious right now. I fell asleep while hanging out with Gundham yesterday-”

“You _what!?_ ” She screeches, grabbing the attention of everyone else again. She whips around and flails for Sakura to come over, but then the warning bell chimes. Hina clicks her tongue and points at me. “You are _so_ not getting out of this one! I am getting every detail at lunch! Every single one!”

I smack my head down on my desk as she sweeps away, making strange gestures with her hands seemingly in an effort to communicate with Sakura. I’m pretty sure I just jammed my foot in my mouth.

“Everyone seems to be in high spirits today.”

I glance up to see that Kyoko has taken her usual spot in front of me, looking as cool as ever. She raises an eyebrow. “Makeup? What’s the occasion?”

I put my head back down on the desk. “Blame Sonia. I woke up late and she helped me put myself together. I was just going to put deodorant on, but she wasn’t having it.”

“I had figured you wouldn’t use it of your own free will.” I hear her say. The detective lets out a soft sigh. “Well, it doesn’t matter. You look nice.”

I let out a grunt in response. After a minute or two of silence, Kyoko nudges my arm. “Taka and Mondo just walked in.”

I immediately stiffen, making a pointed effort not to look up. “I think I may just skip the next class to go change, Kyoko. I don’t think I can handle am extended version of last night.”

“That’s completely your call. I don’t see the issue with you looking as you do, but if you’re uncomfortable, there’s no reason for you to stay as you are.” I hear her reply. After a beat or two of silence, she speaks up again. “…Regardless, can I be so bold to ask you for a minute of your time later? There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

This makes me raise my head. Kyoko is looking straight ahead at the door, not showing an ounce of emotion at her completely abrupt and awkwardly delivered subject change.

“Er. Can’t we just talk about it now?” I ask, sitting up fully. “Is it bad?”

“Not… bad.” The detective tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, still not looking at me. “It’s just something I need to confirm with you.”

Slight feeling of concern bubbling in my gut, all I can do is nod. “Al…right?”

“Good. I’ll be by your dorm room at eight tonight.” Kyoko turns around and faces forward without another word, causing the feeling of concern to evolve into outright worry. Just as I’m about to press it, I see Mondo approach out of the corner of my eye.

Crap.

“...Mornin’ Chi.” He greets, pointedly looking anywhere but at me. He unceremoniously plops down in his seat. I turn to face him.

“G-Good morning, Mondo.” I smile slightly. “How was the kendo session last night?”

“Kendo? Er, yeah. It was cool. That broad Peko was merciless though- Made all of us join Taka for warmups.” Mondo looks at me for a split second before remembering how hard he was trying not to look at me. “So… back in that getup, huh?”

I scratch the back of my head, not liking how awkward he’s being in the least. “I-I ended up falling asleep in it last night and woke up late. I’m planning on shoving it in the back of my closet and never wearing it again after today, don’t worry.”

“Fucking why!?” He all but yells. He ends up coughing awkwardly into his and, albeit reluctantly, looks directly at me. “I mean… shit, Chi. You don’t like it or somethin’?”

I shake my head. “It’s not that, I just… don’t like dealing with it much. Everyone seems to freak out whenever I show a little more skin than usual- This dress in particular has caused all kinds of grief!”

This seems to strike a chord with him as he visibly stiffens. “If you’re talkin’ about last night, I-”

“Yo, Chihiro!”

I rip my gaze away from Mondo and see Leon approaching, megawatt grin in place. “Oh, good morning Leon.”

“I see you decided to keep your new look going!” He winks. “You even added to it! I never thought I’d see the day where you wore makeup!”

Mondo looks shocked. “M-Makeup…?”

Ech. So Leon noticed. “It’s just a little mascara that was applied against my will! D-Don’t get used to it…”

“Awh, lighten up babe.” The baseball star coos, leaning back against the desk next to mine. “I was just teasing. You don’t need makeup to stand out or anything… that pretty face of yours does wonders all on its own!”

“...Leon, don’t you gotta get back to yer own seat or somethin’?” Mondo glares at him, voice raising a bit. “We were kinda in the middle of a discussion!”

Leon stares at Mondo for a bit before shrugging. “Eh, yeah. I guess. But ya know, Mondo…” He smirks, then leans down and whispers something into the gang leader’s ear. I can’t make it out, but Mondo’s face contorts in anger as Leon quickly stands and walks back to his seat.

“Uhm…” I blink. “W-What’s wrong? What did he say?”

“Nothing, for fucks sake!” I flinch back a bit at his tone. He quickly realizes his mistake and sighs, furiously rubbing a hand over his face. “Shit, sorry… he’s just being a dick is all. Don’t worry about it, Chi.”

“Do I… Do I need to say something to him?” I offer. “I-I don’t want you two to fight. If there’s anything I can do to prevent that, then…”

Mondo shakes his head. “Hell no! I told ya it was nothin’ didn’t I?” He rests his head on his chin, staring out the window for a moment before his gaze flicks back to me. “…So… makeup, huh?”

I sigh. “Yeah… I’m not sure what the point is though. I’m pretty sure I look the same as I always do.”

“Why the hell don’t you just take it off then?” The gang leader shoots me an incredulous look.

I blush. “W-Well… Sonia went through all the trouble of doing this for me. I wouldn’t want to upset her by taking it off!”

“Well, why didn’t ya just refuse her if that’s how ya feel about it?” He clicks his tongue and leans back in his seat. “If ya didn’t want it, you should have just said so!”

I frown. He seems to be growing more angry by the second, if his voice constantly raising is any indication. “What’s the big deal, Mondo? Everyone else seems to think it’s fine…” Mondo gumbles something under his breath in response. “W-What?”

“I _said_ , you look better without that shit on!” He finally yells in frustration. “Like, fuck, I dunno! It just doesn’t look right on you! I say just wipe it the hell-”

Without warning, something comes flying from across the classroom and hits Mondo squarely in the temple.

“What the _hell_!?”

As he clutches his head in pain, the offending object bounces off his desk and to the floor. It’s… an eraser. I quickly scan the area to see who threw it- pretty much everyone has filtered their way in at this point, and almost everyone seems genuinely confused as to what just happened… except for Mukuro.

The girl in question is calmly putting her notebooks on her desk, with her younger sister looking at her like she sprouted a second head. Mondo doesn’t seem to notice this though, and instead picks up the offending article and holds it up for the room to see.

“Alright dickbags, who fuckin’ threw this at my head!?” He questions, clearly livid.

Hiro scratches his head. “Dude, do any of us look like we have a death wish? Why would someone belt you with an eraser?”

“He was being a little noisy, but…” Sayaka shrugs, clearly unsympathetic. “I don’t see how that’s any different from the norm though- everyone in here is usually pretty rowdy. Maybe it was just an accident.”

“Or maybe someone may have gotten annoyed with him screeching about Chihiro’s life choices.” Mukuro adds, zipping her bag shut. Apparently she doesn’t seem to care about being subtle at this point. “Either way, carrying on like that first thing in the morning is pointless. Just calm down.”

If Mondo understood the implications of what she said, he doesn’t let it show- instead, he lets out a string of curses under his breath and simply sits down. “Fucking fine. Whatever.”

“A-Are you okay?” I ask, moving to stand beside him. Mukuro obviously did it for me, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was a massive overreaction. “Hold still for a second- let me see where it hit you.”

“Uh, what are ya do-!?”

Before he has the chance to yell even more than he already has, I reach out and take a gentle hold of his face. He instantly goes rigid as soon as my fingers make contact with his skin.

“Let’s see here…” I turn his head so that I can inspect the side of it, wincing as soon as I see the lump that’s already begun to form on the side of his head. “Jeez… I think you may need to go to the nurse, Mondo.” I gently run a finger over the afflicted area, noting how he flinches when I do. It must really hurt. “It’ll probably bruise a lot worse if you don’t get some ice on it or something.”

“...I don’t need to do anythin’ like that!” He retorts after a temporary moment of speechlessness. Mondo’s cheeks are tinted pink out of what I can only assume to be embarrassment. “It’s just a fucking bruise, alright? There’s no point!”

I pull my hands away and sigh. “D-Don’t be stubborn now of all times! At least get some pain killers from there or something- there’s no way you’re not going to get a headache after being hit that hard!”

“I’m inclined to agree with the little lady.” I jump with a squeak as our typically careless teacher seems to materialize behind me. “That’s gonna feel bad for a while if you don’t ice it now. Why don’t you take him up there, Chihiro?”

“Eh?” I turn to face him fully. “But why? Can’t he get there himself?”

“He’d just wander around for a while and come back if I sent him alone.” He shrugs, sauntering over to his desk. “Just make sure he gets there- that’s all I ask.”

Mondo himself looks ready to protest more, but Shirabe simply raises his eyebrows at him in challenge and points towards the door. Clearly fuming, Mondo wordlessly stomps over towards the hall.

“Well, go on little lady! Make sure he gets treated!” Shirabe waves me on as he plops down at his desk, but then suddenly gives me a thumbs up. “I won’t be counting you as absent or tardy, so don’t feel the need to rush, alright?”

I blink. It takes a moment for his words to click.

“Sh-Shirabe! No!” I furiously shake my head at him. “Don’t you do this to me too…!”

“Relax, kiddo.” He turns his attention back to his paper with a snort. “I’m just teasing. I know you can do way better than him. Just make sure he gets his head looked at, alright?”

I grimace, but turn away towards the door regardless. Mondo is already halfway down the hall by the time I make my way over there.

I wordlessly rush over to catch up with him, falling into step once I do.  Mondo slings the door open with a flick of the wrist as soon as we get to our destination.

“Not here? Just my fuckin’ luck!” He grouses, moving inside. “Can we just stay here for a minute and go back? I don’t feel like waiting around for someone to show up-”

“A-Absolutely not!” I move past him, going towards the ice-maker in the corner of the room. “Just wait a moment, okay? I’ll have something for you to put on your head in a bit…”

I hear a few grumbles from behind me as I work. Mondo has always been stubborn about injuries- he thinks it’s not manly to ask for a bandaid if he gets cut, and he feels like it’s wussy to put up a sprained ankle. If we weren’t around to set him straight, I’m pretty sure he’d just rub dirt in his wounds…

“Alright!” I close off the baggie I prepared for him and head over to the cot where he decided to plant himself. “Now, do I have to hold this to your head for you, or…?”

The gang leader clicks his tongue and grabs the bag from me, pressing it to the swollen spot on his head. “Dammit, this is so unnecessary…”

“N-No, it isn’t!” I frown over to him. “It really did look like it hurt a lot when I touched it…”

“...” He looks at me for a beat or two before glancing away. “That broad Mukuro sure is confusing…”

I start a little. “S-So… you noticed how she was acting?”

“Chi, I may be a retard, but I’m not __that__  dumb.” He scoffs. “She basically announced it to the whole damn room. I’m just straight confused as to why the hell she’d go and play guard dog for you when she’s been flat-out ignoring ya.”

I cringe a bit at that remark. “...I am too. D-Don’t take this the wrong way, but… it was nice. Not that you got hit, I mean, it’s just…!” I scratch the back of my head.

“Nice to know she doesn’t hate ya, right?” Mondo nods with a sigh. “Yeah, well… I guess I can’t blame her, since she prolly only heard half of what we were talking about.”

Mondo starts to grimace, and I feel a knot form in my stomach. That’s right, he… he said he thought I looked better without makeup.

He said something pretty dangerous, and now I’m alone with him.

_Crap._

“Oi, Chi.” He says after a moment, startling me. “I… I didn’t fuckin’ mean that you look bad now, alright!? I just… I’m just used to you _normal,_ not all done up like this. It didn’t help that ya basically said you didn’t wanna wear that dress anymore cause of my dumbass behavior either.”

I purse my lips, and hesitantly move to sit next to him. “…L-Look. When I said that people were acting weird over the outfit change, I didn’t mean just you. Sure, it did bother me a little when you just sort of darted off like that, but… it’s not _just_  you. There are a lot of reasons for me not wanting to dress like this.”

Not a total lie, but I really would be lying if his behavior wasn’t a contributing factor to it. Mondo taps his foot as he considers my words.

“You do… look nice, though.” Mondo awkwardly clears his throat into his free hand. “If ya don’t wanna wear it ever again, that’s all well n’ good, but… you could really show up that bitch Junko dressed like that, yanno?”

In spite of myself, I laugh. “I-I don’t think I could, but the thought is nice enough!”

“...I’m being serious, though.” He says, somewhat quietly.

This causes me to look up at him. He’s looking right at me, with a strange softness I’ve never exactly seen in his eyes before now.

Frankly, it’s making me nervous.

“E-Eh?” I manage to squeak.

Mondo’s eyes flick away from me for a brief moment before looking directly at me again. “…Everythin’ about her is so done up and fake, but you’re… you’re pretty inside and out. Without trying, too. It’s just… somethin’ special about you, I guess.”

My breath catches, for more reasons than one. I let my guard down, and I let it down at the worst possible time. This is the exact situation I was trying to avoid, but… even though I know I need to be leaving as soon as possible, getting out of this situation I managed to put myself in…

The sincerity in his eyes is managing to make my heart twist painfully in my chest.

“M-Mondo, I…”

…I want to say that we should go back- something about how we’re missing out on class, that we shouldn’t make people worry, but…. any words I would have to say die in my throat because of the look in his eyes.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t _think._

This is so wrong, but I can’t seem to summon the willpower I need to escape.

As if the Universe already somehow understood my inability to get out of this situation, the door flies open, effectively startling both of us and dispelling the strange atmosphere in the process.

“Brother! Chihiro! Are you two alright?”

Oh, Taka. You really are a blessing.


End file.
